Hanover Park cop uses OT pay to buy gifts for kids in hospital

As a kid, Hanover Park police officer Sean Bockstadter went to Chicago's Shriners Hospital for Children to visit a friend and member of his church who was at the hospital.

This year, Bockstadter decided to rekindle the act. He used money he earned from working recent overtime shifts to buy gifts for patients who were spending the holidays at Shriners.

"In my line of work, I always put children first," Bockstadter said. "And those children didn't choose to be in the hospital on Dec. 23."

Bockstadter, who's been with the department for 14 years, said he visited about 20 kids at the hospital and distributed gifts not only to patients but to siblings of children in the hospital as well. The kids at the hospital were undergoing various therapies, treatments and rehab for medical issues.

"He had asked if he could wear his uniform when giving out the gifts, and it sounded like a great thing," police Lt. Terrence Sherrill said. "I thought it was wonderful he was doing this."

Before buying the gifts, Bockstadter checked in with the hospital to see which kids would be in the hospital the day he delivered the toys so he could buy more specific toys.

He said he enjoyed delivering the gifts while wearing his uniform, and the kids were happy and surprised to see him and receive the gifts.

"With the holiday season, I just wanted to brighten the spirits of the kids who were spending time at the hospital," he said.

Sherrill says Bockstadter's actions are not unlike those of other officers in the department.

"I thought it was appropriate, especially in this day and age," Sherrill said. "You hear and see officers do things like this all the time, and it's nice when they get recognition for it."