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| The Illinois State Crime Commission/Police Athletic League of Illinois works diligently with community leaders to help provide each citizen a safe place to live! |
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Honorees
This year's outstanding honorees  | | |  | | |  | | |  | | |  | Police Chief of the Year
Thomas Roman | |  | Michael Wolfe
Prosecutor of the Year |
Honoring Illinois’ Finest Anti-Crime Advocatesby Eva Kowalski
Illinois’ finest advocates of justice and crime prevention were honored recently at the Illinois State Crime Commission’s (ISCC) Annual Awards dinner.
Nearly one thousand members and supporters filled the ballroom at the Drury Lane Conference Center in Oak Brook to celebrate the achievements of the ISCC in its eighth year and to honor the members and others who had accomplished extraordinary goals.
The US Marine Corp Color Guard flanked by two rifle bearers and bagpipers inaugurated the award ceremony. Afterwards, former State Senator and gubernatorial hopeful, Patrick O’Malley, led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.
As President of the ISCC, Michael Prueter, warmly welcomed the crowd it was clear that this was a night filled with well deserved ceremonial pride.
“We are honoring twenty-two of the finest people in the State of Illinois who are dedicated to the public safety and personal protection of every citizen in the State of Illinois,” he said.
The praise was well deserved considering the ISCC has passed three legislative acts and launched four main programs in the past year with the aid of its members.
State Representative Kevin Joyce was recognized for his success in passing the Drug or Alcohol Impaired Minor Responsibility Act, and honored as the ISCC Democratic Legislator of the Year.
The Act which will take effect in October of this year will hold adults who provide minors with alcohol financially responsible for any personal injury or property damages incurred by the minor whilst under the influence.
Joyce said that if you want to effectively stop people from doing something you have a “greater impact if you hit them in the pocket.”
“When people know they have the chance of loosing their house, car and bank accounts it makes a difference,” he said.
In the past the bill was rejected in Illinois because of liability and insurance issues. But after the Glenbrook High School debacle last year in which two parents were charged for supplying alcohol to students who participated in a savage hazing incident, the ISCC stepped in to toughen the system.
During his acceptance speech, Joyce said that he doesn’t believe in government trying to take total control, but there are no limits “when it comes to protecting our children.”
The two other laws passed by the ISCC include the Sports Official Assault Act which aims to heighten protection for umpires, referees and coaches by upgrading assault and battery charges to aggravated offenses and the Highway Construction Safety Act which aims to minimize violations in construction zones by allowing automated ticketing.
The Awards night was a definite reflection of effective law enforcement. Amongst other honorees, Jeffery J. Tomczak was honored as the State’s Attorney of the Year for the second time. Tomczak who was elected in 2000 developed a strong presence in the community by focusing on prosecutions for DUI’s which led to a 187% increase in convictions during the first year. He also created a Consumer Fraud Unit to prevent fraud upon senior citizens, the first Identity Task Force Investigation Unit, the Rapid Assistance Program and the first faith-based Community Outreach Group.
On the other end of the spectrum the ISCC also honored the business professionals in Illinois. John Lanigan, founder and Chairman of Mi-Jack Products and founder and President of Q-Sales and Leasing, was honored as the Businessman of the Year.
“Never be afraid to be a dreamer, if that dream doesn’t come true you can always have another dream,” he said during his acceptance speech.
The ceremony was appropriately hosted by former DuPage County Board chairman, Aldo Botti, who is well known for diffusing a hostile gun threat in November 2000 when a woman ran into his Oak Brook law office and threatened to shoot his secretary.
Aldo presented each ISCC 2004 Honoree with an engraved glass plaque. As each Honoree claimed their award, they all had a similar message to relay; simply that their success would not have been possible without the support of family, friends, co-workers and the ISCC.
Educator of the Year, Honoree, Dr. William J. Carroll, who is the president of Benedictine University, summed it up the best with a fishing metaphor. He said unlike fishing were you can take complete credit for catching a fish, success in your workplace can always be attributed to a “host of people.”
The ISCC in its eighth year also maintains its success because of a host of people. ISCC Executive Director, Jerry Elsner coined the term “apolitical” to describe the structure of the ISCC since there is no political bias or government funding involved.
When you get a non-profit organization that looks for the loose ends in the criminal justice system, and aims to tie them as a body of professionals from all areas and disciplines in that same system, you find a point at which everyone intersects with the same common goal.
The Illinois State Crime Commission has been described many times as the toughest watchdog on crime in Illinois, and quite frankly, I can’t think of a better term.
“ I applaud the Illinois State Crime Commission for actively pursuing legislation enabling law enforcement to better perform their duties. With the help of the Illinois State Crime Commission we have been able to aggressively pursue initiatives to provide safe neighborhoods to families in Illinois.”
Tom Cross
Illinois House of Representatives, Minority Leader
“As a longtime supporter of the Illinois State Crime Commission and the work that they do, I want to congratulate the commission for their continued commitment to public safety and laws that give the law enforcement community the tools they need to keep our neighborhoods safe while protecting our citizens.”
Emil Jones, Jr.
Illinois Senate, Majority Leader
2004 HONOREES
• Protector of the Working People Award
Tom Balanoff, President, Service Employees International Union Local #1
• Educator of the Year Award
Dr. William J. Carroll, President, Benedictine University
• Municipal Leader of the Year Award
Roger Claar, Mayor, Bolingbrook, Illinois
• Special Police Team Award of Excellence
Hostage Barricade Team, Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department led by Commander William Evans
• Democratic Legislator of the Year Award
Honorable Kevin Joyce, Illinois House of Representatives
• Award of Excellence in Security
Keith Kambic, Security Chief, AON Building, Chicago, Illinois
• Businessman of the Year Award
John J. Lanigan, Sr., Founder and Chairman, Mi-Jack Products
• Labor Leader of the Year Award
Tod Masters, Business Manager, South DuPage Construction Laborers Local #288
• Republican Legislator of the Year Award
Honorable Michael McAuliffe, Illinois House of Representatives
• Federal Prosecutor of the Year Award
Marsha McClellan, U.S. Attorney’s Office
• Award of Excellence in Community Crime Prevention
Dennis Mitzner, Chairman, Oak Forest Crime Prevention Commission
• Award of Excellence in City Government
Eileen M. Phipps, Village President, Wayne, Illinois
• Police Chief of the Year Award
Chief Thomas W. Roman, Chief of Police, Roselle, Illinois
• Citizen of the Year Award
Fred Rosen, Proprietor, Sam’s Wine & Spirits
• Ezzard Charles Award
August Anthony Sallas, President, Mexican American Youth Athletic Association
• Award of Excellence in Government
Robert J. Schillerstrom, Chairman, DuPage County Board
• Award of Excellence in Business
John Schmitt, President, john greene, REALTOR
• Suburban Police Officer of the Year Award
Michael Tardi, Lieutenant Detective, Hickory Hills Police Department
• State’s Attorney of the Year Award
Jeff Tomczak, State’s Attorney, Will County, Illinois
• Civic Award of Excellence
John Z. Toscas, Assessor, Worth Township, Illinois
• Prosecutor of the Year Award
Michael A. Wolfe, Chief, Criminal Prosecutions Bureau, DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office
• Award of Excellence in Communications
Frank J. Zefran, Commissioner of Cable, Chicago, Illinois
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