Healing Words For CPD Officers At Vigil for Ella French

CHICAGO — In a neighborhood where kids grow up placing their hands over their hearts at the passing casket of a fallen police officer or firefighter, residents of the 19th Ward gathered for an all too familiar vigil, to celebrate the life of Officer Ella French, and to offer prayers for all Chicago police officers.

Organized by Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th), whose ward is home by hundreds of police officers, firefighters and city workers, residents came to the 22nd Police District on Wednesday to show their support for the Chicago police who’ve faced the city’s unrelenting violence.

French and her two partners were part of a special community safety team in West Englewood assigned to stop suspicious or known stolen vehicles on the West and South Side, a tactic for finding illegal guns and taking them off the street. The officers stopped an SUV for expired plates on Saturday night when French and her partner were both shot. French died from a gunshot wound to the head. Her partner remains hospitalized with a bullet lodged in his brain.

Two brothers have been charged in connection with French’s killing, and the wounding of the second officer. One of the suspects was wounded in the exchange of gunfire.

An Indiana man has also been charged federally for allegedly straw-purchasinig the gun used in the killing and giving it to a convicted felon.

“As law enforcement officers, we face the possibility of death on a daily basis; at times we deal with the most challenging members of society,” said Kimberly Lewis-Davis, of the Chicago Police Chaplains Ministry. “I know there are times when you want to say take this bitter cup from me, we know the risk, and yet we choose to serve not knowing what is ahead.”

Fr. Tom McCarthy, director of St. Rita of Cascia Shrine where many first responder funerals are held, told police officers the best way to honor French’s life was by never giving up.

“How can we not feel troubled at a moment like this, how can we not want to give up,” McCarthy said. “How can we not throw our arms up and say this isn’t worth it anymore. I’m going to challenge us and beg us to never do that, to never give up.”

The evening’s sharpest words came from Phil Cline, the former superintendent of police, and now the executive director of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation. On Tuesday, Cline visited French’s family to present them with a check for $60,000 to ease their financial and emotional burden in the near term.

“Today we want to remember Officer Ella French and her partner, who is still fighting for his life,” Cline said. “We also remember and salute the third officer who shot one of the offenders and ended the gun battle. Officer, you are a hero.”

Cline spoke of French’s courage and compassion, who made a positive difference every day of her life.

“I have said this many times to thousands of officers, ‘our mission is simple, go out and be the police,’ but that mission is also dangerous and last night Ella died being the police,” Cline said. “The motto of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation is never forget. Ella, we’ll ever forget you and your family.”