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Honoring Our Heroes
Officers come from near and far to support Chicago
Jersey City Police Officer Rashaun Spen- ce knows all too well the pain a department feels when it loses one of its own.
In December 2019, Spence watched the law enforcement family come together on the East Coast to pay final respects to his colleague Detective Joseph Seals, who was assassinated in the line of duty. Not even two years later, Spence and a 10-officer con- tingent from Jersey City joined a seeming- ly endless procession of police and civilian well-wishers who gathered to honor Officer Ella French.
“It did bring back some memories, just seeing the lineup, seeing all the different officers from different states,” Spence said. “You had some from California, Florida and even Canada. It gives you that sense of pride, that sense of relief, because when De- tective Seals was killed, it brought everyone down.
“To see that love, that support that every- one’s there for you and feels that same pain, it’s a family,” he said.
The family and support at St. Rita of Cas- cia arrived in droves from near — Illinois State Police, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Hanover Park, Oak Brook, Villa Park — and far, with the New York City Police Depart- ment, Dallas, Detroit, Boston, as well as others from Oregon and Ohio representing the out-of-state well-wishers at services for French.
The most prominent out-of-towners also came from New Jersey. The New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association came to the funeral with its special services trailer, which has been seen at many line-of-duty- death funerals across the country.
With the Department failing to provide so much as a water station for officers on this blisteringly hot and humid day, the NJSP- BA’s wealth of water and other provisions was seen as nearly lifesaving by its counter- part at Chicago Lodge 7 and its members.
Atlantic City, New Jersey, Police Officer Matt Rogers was part of the three-member team that manned the trailer and served officers beginning at 6 a.m. The members from New Jersey served up their specialty, their famous “dirty water dogs.” These hot dogs might not have been Chicago-style, but they were gobbled up by Chicago’s fin- est.
“It’s just amazing to see what the turnout was,” Rogers observed. “It’s always fulfilling, but on a day when it’s that hot, that humid and they’re all in their dress blues, the wa- ter’s a little more appreciated, the food is a little more needed.”
34 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ SEPTEMBER 2021
Lodge 7 members attending the funeral stop at the trailer the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevo- lent Association brought to provide water and snacks and support their fellow officers.
Officers came to the funeral from across the country, including from Harris County, Texas; Eau Claire County, Wisconsin; and Jersey City, New Jersey.
The depths of that gratitude were ex- pressed further in a note from one New Jer- sey State PBA member, a friend of a Chicago Police Officer who enjoyed the refreshments provided to those working 18-hour details.
“My friend reached out to me ... and said he was tired, hungry and thirsty on that hot day. My friend said that was the best hot dog he’d ever had, and the ice-cold waters were an absolute blessing to him and the other brothers,” retired Detective Ed Uranyi wrote.
While Rogers enjoyed bringing some re- lief to those working, he was also moved by what it represented to have such a large cross section of departments from around
the country.
“When they all show up, you just see the
true meaning of the brotherhood, the sister- hood that we all represent here,” he said.
Minneapolis Police Officer Steve Laux called it “humbling” to be part of the turn- out.
“The mass showing of officers ... is reas- suring that we, as police officers, will survive these tough times and unite,” said Laux, a 32-year veteran. “We’ll make it through to- gether.”
–Dan Campana