Cops honored for disarming Palatine explosive device
Two Cook County sheriff's police bomb technicians who defused an explosive device at a Palatine grocery store were among those honored for valor Tuesday.
Sheriff Tom Dart played host to the 18th annual Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony at the ornate Grand Army of the Republic Hall in the Chicago Cultural Center. “The message really is a simple one. It's one of thanks,” Dart said. “I don't know what to say other than, ‘Thank you.' We can never repay you for what you've done.”
Bomb technicians Thomas Cebulski of Schaumburg and Matthew McCurrie of Palos Park were among 44 county officers, most from local jurisdictions, presented with the Award of Valor for Heroism and Bravery. A year ago, they disarmed a bomb at La Rosita Grocery Store, 1190 E. Dundee Road. They determined it was a sophisticated device, capable of being detonated by cell phone, and acted swiftly to disable it, wearing bomb suits but otherwise performing the operation barehanded.
“We were very concerned where it was placed,” Cebulski said. “It was designed to blow up and start a fire.”
A disgruntled former employee of the store has since been charged in the case.
McCurrie said the recognition was rewarding, but wasn't going just to them. “We're kind of here to represent our unit as a whole,” he said. “We do this day in, day out.”
Nine bomb technicians work in the Cook County sheriff's unit, and they train together weekly, Cebulski said.
He granted it's similar to what's seen in the Oscar-winning film “The Hurt Locker,” although obviously not in a combat setting. “The same equipment is used overseas as is used here,” he added, “bomb suit, X-rays, disrupters, robots.”
In addition, four Chicago Police Department officers who died over the last year Thor Soderburg, Michael Bailey, Thomas Wortham and Sgt. Alan Haymaker were honored with the award. Dart said their “ultimate sacrifice” cast in relief the bravery displayed by the other award recipients.
Forty-four other officers received the Award of Merit for Outstanding Service and Professionalism, including Christopher Solesky of Bartlett, Bob Pakaski of Buffalo Grove, Daniel Kosartes of Hanover Park, and Det. Mark Recker of Mount Prospect.