Chicago police officers wounded in the line of duty and the family of a colleague killed in a hospital shooting have been honoured at the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s Valor Awards.
Officer John Bartholomew, a 10-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, was recognised posthumously after he was shot and killed at Swedish Covenant Hospital in April. His wife, Renee, accepted the award on his behalf.
Bartholomew’s partner, Officer Nelson Crespo, was also honoured after being seriously wounded in the same incident. His family accepted the award while he underwent surgery and reported that he was doing well.
Chicago police officers recognised for courage
The ceremony also paid tribute to officers who had been shot while protecting the public, including one who had been in the job for just six days. Several survived after their bulletproof vests stopped the rounds.
The foundation said it had supplied nearly 16,000 protective vests to Chicago police officers, a programme driven in large part by former executive director Phil Cline, who has since retired.
Accepting an award, Mr Cline said officers would want their families cared for if they were killed or seriously injured.
“Nothing feels better than when a family thanks you for all you’ve done for their family,” he said. “If you ask an officer, they would say ‘take care of my family’. That’s what we do.”
He also thanked the families of fallen officers for showing police “how to persevere in the face of great loss and heartbreak”.
The awards came as Mr Cline’s successor, Arthur Hannus, began his first year as executive director. He is only the second person to hold the position during the foundation’s 22-year history.
Mr Hannus said the courage and compassion celebrated at the event were demonstrated by Chicago officers every day.
The April shooting at the hospital left Bartholomew dead and Crespo seriously injured. Crespo later began a long recovery, while Bartholomew’s death continued to be remembered by colleagues and the wider Chicago police community.
