Fallen officers honored at State Capitol

Springfield, Ill (WAND) – Police officers killed in the line of duty in late 2021 and 2022 were honored at the State Capitol with the annual Illinois Peace Officers Memorial Service. A total of 12 fallen officers were honored at the sculpture on the State Capitol grounds.

Among those honored were:

The 12 officers killed during late 2021 and in 2022 include: Officer Nicholas Kozak, Forest Park Police Department, November 27, 2021; Officer James R. Svec, Chicago Police Department, December 8, 2021; CBP Canine Officer Jeffrey P. Dela Cruz, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, December 23, 2021; Officer Jose M. Huerta, Chicago Police Department, December 23, 2021; Detective Joseph A. Tripoli, Chicago Police Department, January 3, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Michael John Queeney, Will County Sheriff’s Office, January 8, 2022; Officer Brian Romel Shields, Aurora Police Department, January 11, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Joseph Robert Tinoco, Cook County Sheriff’s Department, January 13, 2022; Sergeant Kenneth John Thurman Sr., Aurora Police Department, January 19, 2022; Deputy Sheriff Brian J. Norton, Ford County Sheriff’s Office, February 5, 2022; Officer Brian Lee Sember, Ottawa Police Department, April 3, 2022; and Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Donald Weist, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, April 29, 2022.

In addition, five officers who were confirmed to have died in the line of duty in the past but who had not yet been officially included on the memorial were recognized. These include: Sergeant Claude E. Bowman, Cook County Highway Patrol, July 7, 1923; Sergeant Francis J. McGraw, Chicago Police Department, May 6, 1942; Officer Charles Hibsch, Chicago Police Department, November 9, 1947; Officer Dennis F. Collins, Chicago Police Department, July 3, 1953; and Deputy John Venton Donaldson Sr., Ogle County Sheriff’s Department.