Police, K-9s remember fallen in Elgin ceremony
The annual police memorial ceremony in Elgin was all about remembering the toll of lives lost in the line of duty - the full toll, including the pain and shattered dreams of spouses, children, parents and friends.
"Those conversations will be forever silenced," Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said.
The ceremony remembered 145 police officers and 34 police dogs who died in the line of duty nationally last year. This year, so far, the grim tally is 50 police officers across the country.
Police must be well-equipped and properly trained to face the dangers of the job, and Elgin meets that mark, Swoboda said. "Policing is never done to a community. Police is done with a community," he said.
Elgin invited K-9 units from area law enforcement agencies to participate in the ceremony, which was marked by occasional barking.
"It's really nice to be represented in a ceremony like this," said McHenry County sheriff's Sgt. Dan Patenaude, who attended with his partner, Bo the bloodhound.
Elgin's German shepherd, Colt, was especially excited, particularly after the gun salute. "He was better behaved last time," said his handler, officer Chad Schuttrow.
Officials also remembered officer Stevenson "Steve" Jones, who died this month, and three retired officers who died in the last year: Tom Linder, Cip Siete and Alvie Henning.
Jose Diaz, a senior at Larkin High School who last year appeared on the Spanish-language musical talent TV show "La Banda," sang the national anthem.
The crowd included three nuns from Mexico who are teaching Catechism to youth at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Elgin.
"It was very nice, very interesting," said Sister Herlinda Rodriguez. "I liked the uniformity they had. I would have liked to have our youth participate, because these things are important."
Earlier in the day, the city's human relations commission and a group called "Building on Collaboration" hosted an "Honoring Our Police in Elgin," or HOPE, luncheon at the Centre of Elgin.
About 150 police officers, city officials and community leaders were expected at the event, whose goal was to continue building bridges between the community and the police department, Pastor Bob Whitt said.
"I have passion for, as others do in the city, in just trying to bring us together," said Whitt, who works part-time for Elgin police. "I think we have a great department."
Whitt said he formed Building on Collaboration privately in the last year and plans to seek nonprofit status for the group, which is still small. The luncheon relied on donor funding and no city funds, he said.