Former Palatine police commander was 90

A former Palatine police commander credited with laying the groundwork for building a professional force, has passed away.

Frank Ortiz served 25 years with the department, including as acting interim chief from 1973-74. The former Palatine resident, most recently of Crystal Lake, passed away on Monday, at the age of 90.

The appointment of Mr. Ortiz as interim chief was one of the first things then-Mayor Wendell Jones did to shore up the Palatine police and fire departments.

“There were less than 30,000 people in Palatine when I was elected (1973), but we were growing,” says Jones, now living in Fort Myers, FL. “There were a number of things the board and I wanted to put in place to professionalize the department.”

They tapped Mr. Ortiz to head up the department while they actively searched for a new chief.

“Frank had been on the police force a long time,” Jones adds. “He was a good policeman; he was steady. We knew he could handle it.”

Their search resulted in the hiring of former Chief Jerry Bratcher, who would head up the department for the next 25 years. Bratcher immediately set out to make changes, from upgrading uniforms to changing the color of the squad cars.

But he credits Mr. Ortiz with stabilizing the force and setting a tone of professionalism.

“Frank was a very dedicated police officer, who held the respect of all the rank and file,” Bratcher said Tuesday. “He was a good man who served the department well.”

Both Jones and Bratcher acknowledge that Mr. Ortiz was one of the first Hispanic police commanders in the Northwest suburbs, but his ethnicity never played a role in his promotions.

“He was a lieutenant before serving as acting chief,” Bratcher says. “And when I instituted the civil service exempt command, he was promoted to commander. He earned all of his promotions on merit.”

Mr. Ortiz was a decorated World War II veteran, serving with the Army in the South Pacific, and later with the Army Reserves as a criminal investigations officer with the military police.

Mr. Ortiz is survived by his wife, Lorraine, and children Linda Onyskiw, Kathleen (John) Novak, Karen (John) Thalman and David (Jennifer) Ortiz; as well as seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Visitation will take place from 3-9 p.m. Wednesday at Ahlgrim Family Funeral Home, 201 N. Northwest Hwy. in Palatine, before an 11 a.m. funeral Mass Thursday at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 1023 McHenry Ave. in Crystal Lake.