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Wood Dale detective honored for leadership, work ethic

The Wood Dale Police Department lost eight officers, including two detectives, through retirement and promotions in 2018.

But their cases continued being solved, not missing a beat, thanks to Detective Chris Banaszynski.

Chief Greg Vesta said Banaszynski has had a 23-year career full of achievements, but he's never been more valuable than he was in 2018. Banaszynski was honored on Feb. 21 as the department's Officer of the Year.

Vesta said the award is given annually to an officer who displays leadership and encourages cooperation among peers.

"During our period of lower staffing, (Banaszynski) was in every morning, going through the cases, prioritizing and making sure the ones that needed the first attention were done," Vesta said. "And he was doing this without direction. He was jumping on things before being told to have to jump on things and chase them down."

Banaszynski started in Wood Dale in 1996 as a community service officer before being sworn in as a police officer in 1999. Since then he's held a number of positions, including being an accident reconstruction specialist, evidence technician, undercover drug officer, juvenile officer, and rangemaster and armorer for the department.

"He really was tasked within the department to make sure all the proper cases were being followed up on. And at the same time he was being constantly called out on (DuPage) Major Crime Task Force cases and fatal car accidents throughout the county," Vesta said. "There wasn't any one particular case that led to him being nominated. It was overall product of him being a leader."

Banaszynski said he was proud that he and his partner were able to "do the work of four or five" detectives until the department regained full strength in recent weeks.

"That's always been my work ethic. I'm that typical stubborn Polish kid whose father always made him work. I've been working since I was 14 and I've never stopped," he said. "I love my job. It's fun to find that puzzle and finish it. If I ever got bored with it, I'd go back to the road and write tickets."

He never expected to win the award for his efforts but said he's proud his name will soon adorn the plaque with all the other officers who have been honored.

He'll also get his name in a city newsletter, in addition to his phone ringing off the hook with congratulations from colleagues on the task forces he's involved in.

"I never cared to win it, but now that I have it, it's pretty humbling to be nominated by your co-workers and sergeants," Banaszynski said. "I don't need a pat on the back to work my hardest, but if I was going to get one, this is a cool one to get."

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