Deerfield Police Sgt. Honored

A Deerfield Police Sergeant who came to the United States not knowing one word of English was honored earlier this month with the Donald E. Gehrig Memorial Award, which goes to an exemplary member of the department.

Oliver Cachola “was instrumental in bringing the communities of Deerfield, Bannockburn and Highland Park together in an effort to collect coats and raise awareness for homeless and at risk veterans in Lake County,” Deputy Police Chief Tom Keane said at the meeting.

Veterans have a special place in Cachola’s heart, the Deerfield Review reports. He spent time in Iraq as a member of the Illinois National Guard serving the U.S. Army.

Fifteen years ago, he came to the United States not knowing English.

“Cachola learned the language, graduated high school, earned a degree in criminal justice from Illinois State University in 2005 and joined the Vernon Hills Police Department before taking a position in Deerfield in almost five years ago,” according to the Review.

Read more via the Deerfield Review