Being a good cop is in the genes for Arlington Hts. Officer of the Year
Doug Glanz says he got the genes to be a good police officer from his father, who spent 36 years on the force in Evanston.
"There's nothing else I'd rather do. A lot of the way I police is because of him," Glanz said Thursday after the Arlington Heights Police Department named him its L.W. Calderwood Officer of the Year. "It's in my blood."
Glanz works the afternoon patrol shift, often in the downtown area where he deals with businesses, commuters, residents and members of the homeless population, said Chief Gerald Mourning.
He also serves as a member of the department's Crisis Intervention Team, which is trained to deal with individuals suffering from mental illness.
"The relationships officer Glanz has created have resulted in a high level of trust in the community," Mourning said.
Mourning described times when Glanz dealt with unruly subjects and brought them into the station without incident, and other occasions when he was able to track down suspects using sources he has built up around town.
"He has a strong work ethic and dedication to duty," Mourning said. "He has a passion for police work."
The Calderwood award is named for Bill Calderwood, who was Arlington Heights' police chief from 1958 to 1976. Four generations of the Calderwood family were in attendance Thursday.
"Knowing that my name will be associated with past and future recipients of this award is a feeling I can't describe," Glanz said.
Glanz was quick to mention the importance of working with his fellow officers, including Scott May, who was also nominated for the award.
"Being a police officer isn't about individual awards," he said. "It's a team effort. We are all a team." Glanz is still emotional remembering the night in December 2013 when a member of that team, officer Mike McEvoy, was shot while responding to a domestic disturbance. Glanz was one of the first few officers on the scene and helped get McEvoy out of harm's way. His heroic actions earned him the Medal of Valor in 2014.
"I had a front-row seat to watching (McEvoy) fight for his life," Glanz said. "I called (my wife) and I told her I didn't know if I was coming home."
Glanz said officers who were on the scene that night will forever have a special bond. McEvoy, who won the Calderwood last year, was in the audience on Thursday but has declined media interviews since the shooting.
Glanz grew up in Glenview and graduated from New Trier High School in 1989. He obtained an associate degree in law enforcement from Oakton Community College and worked in private security for a few years before joining the Cook County sheriff's office in 1998. He joined the Kenilworth Police Department in 2001 and worked there for seven years before starting as an officer in Arlington Heights in 2008.
Glanz thanked his wife, Jamie, for her support of his career. The couple live in Arlington Heights with their four children, Carson, Emilie, Hanna and Brice.