A show of support for Palatine's finest ahead of National Police Week
For the second consecutive year, Palatine residents belonging to a nonprofit group supporting the police department are hoping the community joins them in showing appreciation for local law enforcement.
Yard signs, baseball caps, window clings and possibly other items will be sold at cost by the Palatine PD Boosters in advance of National Police Week, which runs May 10-16.
Palatine PD Boosters member Vince Najdowski said it's hoped scores of yard placards are displayed across the village again, along with support for police on business message boards.
Featuring a blue badge in the middle, last year's sign read: "We Support The Palatine PD. Thank You For Your Service."
However, the village's name likely will not stand out in this year's sign design in an effort to attract nonresident buyers, Najdowski said,
The proposed version has a flag with alternating black-and-white stripes, stars and one blue stripe - commonly known as The Thin Blue Line - with a police badge in the middle and the Palatine PD Boosters' logo in the lower-right corner. At the top is "Thank You For Your Service," and "Police Appreciation Week" appears at the bottom.
"We'd love to make this a Northwest suburban-type thing," Najdowski said. "We're just going to keep rolling till we can approach that properly." Najdowski said a decision was made to add the baseball caps this year with phraseology similar to what's on the signs.
At least 450 signs and blue LED bulbs were sold last year, according to the nonprofit group.
Palatine Police Chief David Daigle said officers were overwhelmed at seeing the signs throughout the village in 2019, and he gave a thumbs-up to the cap addition for this year.
"When you feel appreciated, yes, I think it makes you feel good about yourself," Daigle said.
Sales are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 2 and May 9, while supplies last. So far, the locations will be Palatine police headquarters at 595 N. Hicks Road, Jewel-Osco at 45 S. Plum Grove Road, and Eurofresh Market at 130 W. Northwest Highway.
Organization members stress the effort is an awareness and support campaign for police, not a Palatine PD Boosters fundraiser.
Najdowski said the signs are expected to sell for $10 and the hats $15, which is the group's cost for each.
Palatine Citizen Police Academy graduates started the nonprofit booster organization shortly after completing the course in late 2017. In part, the boosters' stated goal is to assist and support police by improving the community's relationship with them through education and communication.
National Police Week involves several organizations honoring U.S. law enforcement. The main organizers include the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Fraternal Order of Police/Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary and Concerns of Police Survivors.