Oak Brook remembers officers who died facing 'new threats'

Eleven empty chairs draped in purple served as a grim reminder during a memorial service Tuesday in Oak Brook to honor slain police officers from across the country.

Each chair signified an officer slain this month in four U.S. cities: Dallas, Baton Rouge, Kansas City and St. Joseph, Michigan.

Oak Brook police Chief James Kruger paid homage to the fallen and encouraged both officers in his department and residents in his community to take active roles in ensuring safety for everyone.

For officers facing "negative sentiments" from some in their communities, he said the duty to serve and protect feels riskier than ever.

"We recognize that every day brings new challenges and every tour of duty potential new threats," he said.

That was certainly the case for the five officers killed by a sniper July 7 in Dallas, the three killed by a gunman July 17 in Baton Rouge, the two bailiffs killed by an inmate in a St. Joseph courthouse on July 11, and the Kansas City police captain shot by a suspect July 19.

Such killings don't just target police, Kruger said.

"They are an attack on the very fabric of society," he said, "our rule of law."

Despite the growing risks, he said, police officers across the country keep at it.

"Every day brings tremendous satisfaction and accomplishment," he said, "that only this noble profession can produce."