spdrs.org

Skokie doesn't mess around..It doesn't get much better then this! photo taken by Det. Ron Glad, 2008 I received an e-mail from Don Hennessey on 8/14, informing me that Bob Mason had undergone emergency surgery in AZ and was in ICU .  Unknown at this time what surgery was for.  Bob was due to be up here this week and had planned on attending Arlington Park. He is expected to be in the hospital for at least 10 days. Ron Baran Charlie Jensen sent his regrets.  He and his wife had intended on coming to Arlington but his wife took a spill and broke her toe, wrist and cracked her knee cap.  She is not walking very well and Charlie has to stay home to take care of her.  He promised to attend a future event. Ron Baran We are sorry to report the passing of         Stiles W. Burr III (Harvey)    of Shore Galleries June 1943-August 2009 A memorial service will be held at St. Timothy Lutheran Church 9000 Kildare, Skokie, Illinois Wednesday August 26 at 7:00 pm. Once the badge goes on, it never comes off, whether they can see it, or not. It fuses to the soul through adversity, fear and adrenaline and no one who has ever worn it with pride, integrity and guts, can ever sleep through the 'call of the wild' that wafts through bedroom windows in the deep of the night.     When Cops Retire   When a good cop leaves the 'job' and retires to a better life, many are jealous, some are pleased and yet others, who may have already retired, wonder. We wonder if he knows what he is leaving behind, because we already know. We know, for example, that after a lifetime of camaraderie that few experience, it will remain as a longing for those past times. We know in the law enforcement life there is a fellowship which lasts long after the uniforms are hung up in the back of the closet . We know even if he throws them away, they will be on him with every step and breath that remains in his life. We also know how the very bearing of the man speaks of what he was and in his heart still is.   These are the burdens of the job. You will still look at people suspiciously, still see what others do not see or choose to ignore and always will look at the rest of the law enforcement world with a respect for what they do; only grown in a lifetime of knowing. Never think for one moment you are escaping from that life. You are only escaping the 'job' and merely being allowed to leave 'active' duty.   So what I wish for you is that whenever you ease into retirement, in your heart you never forget for one moment that 'Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called children of God,' and you are still a member of the greatest fraternity the world has ever known.       Civilian Friends vs . Police Friends   CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Get upset if you're too busy to talk to them for a week. POLICE FRIENDS: Are glad to see you after years, and will happily carry on the same conversation you were having the last time you met.   CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry. POLICE FRIENDS: Have cried with you.   CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back. POLICE FRIENDS: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.   CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.. POLICE FRIE NDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.   CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing. POLICE FRIENDS: Will kick the crowds' ass that left you behind.   CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Are for a while. POLICE FRIENDS: Are for life.   CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have shared a few experiences. .. POLICE FRIENDS: Have shared a lifetime of experiences no citizen could ever dream of...   CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will take your drink away when they think you've had enough. POLICE FRIENDS: Will look at you stumbling all over the place and say, 'You better drink the rest of that before you spill it!!' Then carry you home safely and put you to bed...   CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will talk crap to the person who talks crap about you. POLICE FRIENDS: Will knock them the hell out for using your name in vain. forwarded by Ed Koop

Get Well Soon Wishes to Denny Degelmann, who is recovering from heart by pass surgery.   Get Well Soon Wishes are also sent to Don Suiter who is recovering from a heart attack, stents and unfortunatly some complications, but is on the road to recovery in Florida!   Also, to Alice Ann Seggling who is recovering from a stroke and due home from the hospital Wed. July 1st.

Hi there, We have a posting for Lincolnwood P.D.s very own Harry Smith's Last Day ~Shift Party Harry is retiring after 33 years on the department Date:      June 26, 2009 Time:       4:30 pm Location:   Village Inn, 8050 Lincoln, Skokie Questions call Jeff Gordon 847-489-5907

It is with deep regret we have to inform you of another tragedy that has hit our SPD family….Jim Hart's sister in law, Carol Porter Newberry, the daughter of Jeanette Porter Schubbe, was the victim of Domestic Violence and was murdered by her estranged husband. He then took his own life.   Services were held Monday June 1st 2009  In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the following: CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse) 1011 First Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33731 (www.casa-stpete.org)  or SPCA Tampa Bay, 9099 130th North, Largo, Florida 33773 (www.spcafl.org) in Carol's memory

Some old familiar faces got together for dinner at Portillo's Thanks to Sharon Powers for the great picture! Bob and Pat Weick, Jan Gilono, Deb Danecki, Kathy and David Mary, Ed and Laura Werner

Important Retiree Information   February 3, 2009 The pension board has sent out affidavits to all retirees and spouses of deceased retirees...it is just to update their information due to people having to be tracked down when their pension check is returned to the village... It is only to update the information!!! Please fill them out and mail them back as soon possible, regardless whether you have moved or not   If you have any questions please call Carl Bock at 847 982-5940

Pictures from 1967 from Al Fournier's collection   If you can help identify whose who, please send an email to drmdeb1@aol.com
Skokie's First Group of CSO's   picture from the collection of Al Fournier Thanks Al !!

Hey Deb,   In October of 1992, I attended the dedication of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington DC and had the occasion to speak with Paul Harvey.  He noticed the Skokie Police uniform as I was standing near him and began to strike up a conversation with me. He told me that was very familiar with Skokie as many of his friends have lived there over the years. He particularly enjoyed the Old Orchard Mall as he and his wife had spent "far too much time there" and then smiled. Unsolicited, Paul Harvey expressed his gratitude and thankfulness to me and the other officers who serve and protect our communities.   A short time later, he gave a speech to the survivors of law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty. It was then that I learned the father of Paul Harvey was a policeman in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was shot to death while taking police action on a snowy December day.     Paul Harvey's comments at the dedication: http://nleomf.blogspot.com/2009/03/remembering-paul-harvey.html   Here is the story of Harry Aurandt:   Harry Aurandt's life was tough in the beginning. His father died before his second birthday. But, his mother did a fine job raising him and eventually Harry led a very successful life as a devoted family man and police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Unfortunately, though, Officer Aurandt's life would end as tragically as it began. On Sunday evening, December 19, 1921, Harry and Tulsa's chief detective, Ike Wilkinson, were off duty and driving on a road five miles from the city when they spotted a suspicious vehicle and stopped to investigate. Tulsa was in the midst of a crime spree at the time and all officers had been on the lookout for any sign of trouble. As Harry and Ike stopped, they were ambushed by four desperadoes, all with criminal records and all out on bond. Harry raised his arms as he was directed to do by the bandits, but they shot him anyway. Detective Wilkinson fired back, but he was also seriously wounded. Despite his critical injuries, Harry held courageously to the wheel of the car and managed to drive himself and Ike to a farm house about a mile away. Ike Wilkinson survived the shooting, but permanently lost the use of his legs. Harry Aurandt, at the age of 48, was not so lucky. He died the day after the attack with his wife, Anna, by his side. But, the story doesn't end there. With great courage, Anna Aurandt vowed that the death of her husband was not going to destroy the lives of her children. She succeeded — so well in fact that her son, Paul, went on to become one of the most beloved figures in all of America. He is the most popular broadcaster in the history of radio. He was born Paul Harvey Aurandt but, of course, we all know him simply as Paul Harvey. Mike Ruth

Updated 12/31: Police union, village slated for arbitrator Pioneer Press Online - Glenview,IL,USA December 31, 2008 By MIKE ISAACS misaacs@pioneerlocal.com Negotiations over a new contract between the village and Skokie Police Department patrol officers will be placed in the hands of a binding arbitrator after the sides have failed to reach a settlement on their own. Under state law, each of the outstanding issues is subject to binding arbitration, which means that the arbitrator takes each dispute and decides for either the village or the union. Both sides paint a very different picture about the lack of progress over a new contract after meeting for six sessions and then two more with a mediator. The Fraternal Order of Police, the union of about 89 officers in the department, has been working without a contract since the end of April. The provisions of the expired pact remain valid although officers have not received pay raises during that time. Village officials maintain that the union was determined to head into binding arbitration from the start of the process. "I found that very unfortunate and disappointing," said Christa Ballowe, village director of personnel. Ballowe said the village was and is interested in continuing a positive relationship with the FOP and wanted to settle before having to move to arbitration. "We wanted to sit down and work with them," Ballowe said. "That was always our goal." Ballowe said that with the terrible economy, the village expected to negotiate a status quo contract with economic enhancements, and waited for the FOP to come down from initial proposals. There were no give-backs in the village's offers, Ballowe said, although FOP representatives claim otherwise. The FOP maintains that it's the village that has prevented a settlement. "Usually, the village has been very free and open to negotiate," said union president Glenn Wattenbarger. "We don't understand why they don't appear to be forthcoming at this time." Vice President Mike Cremins said the FOP wanted to sit down without lawyers and reach settlement over a pizza. That was refused by the village, he said. Neither side wants to negotiate in public by detailing specific issues that are still outstanding. But Ballowe said that the two sides are apart on an unprecedented 21 issues, the majority of which have economic ramifications. Ballowe said that she has been surprised by the FOP's unwillingness to move from proposals in light of an ailing economy that has forced Skokie to institute a hiring freeze. But the FOP said that neither side has changed its first major proposals. Since so many of the proposals were presented in "packages," Wattenbarger said, it becomes difficult to detail where each side is on individual issues. "It's very difficult in the state that we're in to pull out individual items," said Wattenbarger. "We were in such an early stage in negotiations on every item that things were commingled and interconnected that they can't be pulled out and discussed separately. One affects the other." The sides agree that among issues still on the table are pay, days off, holidays and other work rules. Ballowe said that the patrol officers are seeking gains on issues with economic ramifications, which has stalled the process. According to Wattenbarger and Cremins, the village's patrol officers have stayed in the middle in pay among 16 other area police departments in a comparable marketplace. That has always been the stated goal of both sides. But on issues outside of wages, it's a different story, they maintain. "In our past contracts, we've stayed in the middle in salaries, but we've fallen behind in other areas of interest," said Cremins. The FOP says that it is on the low end of the marketplace on work rule issues, holidays and days off. Village Manager Al Rigoni said the slow course of negotiations has taken him by surprise. "We're in a tussle with the FOP during a tough time," he said. "We would hope that organized labor would remember the climate we're now in." A binding arbitrator has not yet been assigned to the contract. The last four-year contract between the two sides that expired at the end of April was headed for binding arbitration as well. But in the end, the arbitrator became more of a mediator and was able to inspire the sides to reach settlement on outstanding issues. This time, the sides are less certain that will be the case, representatives said, especially in light of so many outstanding issues

a magnifying glass may be helpful here

	Aug 26, 2008 Shootout kills bank robbery suspect, and Skokie cop is saved by bulletproof vest -- chicagotribune.com article takes a few seconds to download