Page 14 - March 2021

Financial Secretary’s Report
Struggling to protect our strong side
Hello again, officers. I recently spoke via phone with the detective who was the victim of an aggravated battery of a police officer, an ag- gravated assault and an attempted aggravated armed robbery while on duty. This brutal attack happened when the veteran detective and his partner were conducting a canvass in the 7700 block of South Yates, the day after a homicide occurred on this same block. Before going door to door to canvass for possible witnesses or vid- eo, the detective and his partner divided the
task, each focusing on the west side of the block.
This block, like most of Chicago’s residential areas, con- sists of single-family homes lining one side of the block, two flats and multi-unit apartment buildings on the other. Upon completing his canvass, the detective was attacked from be- hind, struck with a hard blow to the back and head, forcing him to collapse to the ground. Once on the ground, the de- tective was struck about the head and body with blow after blow. The detective blocked some of his attacker’s strikes with his arms and binder, only to clearly observe one of his
attackers pointing a handgun at him.
During this violent attack, the detective’s handcuffs were knocked loose and landed on the sidewalk. The detective identified himself as the police, but this only caused his at- tackers to kick and strike him harder, demanding “you got to give me something” while they grabbed at his pockets. The detective continued to crawl on the snow-covered ground, fi- nally making it to the middle of the street, hoping to be more visible to the residents or his partner. The detective struggled to protect his strong side during the barrage of strikes and blows, knowing that he could not get to his weapon under his layered clothing and that the attacker’s gun was already being pointed directly at him.
The detective’s horrific ordeal finally ended when his partner came running, gun pointed, giving loud verbal di- rection, causing the attackers to flee and saving his partner’s life. Both detectives contacted OEMC for help and waited for assist units to arrive on scene, but the offenders had made good on their escape.
The detective suffered 3 superficial stab wounds to his back, contusions to his head and body, lacerations to his head and face which required stitches, not to mention the trauma that comes along with being a victim of a brutal at- tack. The detective was visited and called by his coworkers, bosses and the chief of detectives. I would not expect this mayor to reach out to this detective, but apparently our su- perintendent is way too busy to at least call and check on this detective? This was not your average agg-batt of a police officer.
If a similar attack occurred when I was a young officer on the job, I saw firsthand how tact and gang teams and city- wide units saturated the area, shutting down all criminal movement and dope spots, until the neighborhood spat out the offender. I realize times have changed and these city- wide units have been dissolved. But what does this say to the residents and victims’ families that we expect to assist us with information regarding the homicide that took place just the day before?
This lackluster response to one of our own being attacked while he is canvassing the day after a murder only shows them that the lowlife criminals have won. I guess we should all just pump gas and shovel more sidewalks?
As of the writing of this article, the detective’s condition has slightly improved, mainly his physical appearance. But he is still suffering the aftereffects of this attack. We spoke of how the simplest of tasks — canvassing for witnesses and video — almost turned into a tragedy. Please stick together and back each other up. God bless, and stay safe.
JIM JAKSTAVICH
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14 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ MARCH 2021