After 27 Years, Morton Grove Police Commander Retires

Cmdr. Mike Fujara started out his career in law enforcement hunting-and-pecking arrest reports on an Underwood typewriter, while fingerprinting suspects rolling their fingers with black ink on a metal plate.

Thirty-one years later, he finished his Morton Grove police career enjoying the time-saving benefits of computer technology while eschewing the messy ink in favor of “live scans” for fingerprinting, as well as a vivid memory of driving to Colorado through a tornado warning to solve an old murder case. All the while, he said, the art and science of police work has improved by community policing and the integration of women into the force.

Fujara retired as commander of investigations for the on Dec. 9. Three days later, he started a new job on the College of Lake County police force. So the affable law enforcement veteran, who doubled as media spokesman for his department, has found “a nice way to finish off my career.”

“I really enjoyed my time,” Fujara said of a career that began as a community-service officer in the Skokie Police Dept. in 1980, five years before he joined Morton Grove’s uniformed ranks.

“I’ve kind of done a full spectrum in my career. I started looking at other possibilities in law enforcement. I really wanted to get back on the street or get involved in the community," he said. "The last couple of years I was as commander of investigations. I was more of an administrator.”

“I saw this advertised online for the College of Lake County, where they were looking for certified police officers. I live in Grayslake, the same town as the college — do a lot of walking inside the campus grounds, patrol on the outside of grounds. We’re sworn officers with the state of Illinois. They were looking for someone with some knowledge and experience.”

Police Chief Mark Erickson was sad to see Fujara go, but happy for their association and his long service.

“Congratulations to Commander Fujara on his retirement from the Morton Grove Police Department,” Erickson said. "Mike was hired in 1985 and became an excellent patrol officer. He did an outstanding job as a detective, highlighted by solving an 18-year-old homicide in 1997, after receiving a tip from a source and traveling to Colorado to investigate."

Fujara was promoted to patrol sergeant and then partol commander before finishing his career as the department's investigations commander. 

"He has done an outstanding job in each position," Erickson said. "Along the way, he worked with over 100 sworn Morton Grove police officers and over 50 full-time police department civilian employees. We thank him for his outstanding service to the village, and wish him and his family the best of luck in their future.”

Cracking an 18-year-old murder case

Erickson pegged the cold-case murder investigation right. Of all his cases, that stands out in Fujara’s mind — and was worth a nearly 2,000-mile driving trip that cut right through a tornado warning in Nebraska.

“We had learned some people came forward to reveal an acquaintance of theirs had killed his mother back in 1979,” he said. “The medical examiner had ruled death by natural causes. They held onto the secret. Detective Bulger and I had to locate where the subject was living — in Colorado. Our chief and deputy chief asked us to drive to Colorado to conduct an interview."

“It was a statement-only case. We conducted the interview and he basically confessed to us. We told him we had learned this new information. He said 'I’m glad you guys came out.' He wanted to get it off his chest. He actually surprised me and Detective Bulger because I thought he’d tell us, ‘Go scratch.’ It would have been another long ride home. He suffocated his mother with a pillow.”

Had the suspect not confessed, Fujara said he and his partners would have had an even longer drive back to Morton Grove. As it was, the trip was more exciting than planned.

“It was interesting driving,” he said. “It was pitch black in the tornado warning area.”

Witnessed changes to workplace

Fujara cited the increase in community policing and crime prevention meetings as one possible explanation for an overall drop in crime. And when he began, there were “just a sprinkling” of women at the center of police work.

“Now they’re a big part of what we do,” he said. “It makes our job easier. I think it’s a lot easier on certain cases where you have a female as your partner to do certain interviews with certain types of people. They’ll talk to a female rather than male. I have the highest praise for them. They could do the job just as well as male officers.”

Another long-time veteran will take over Fujara’s job.

“Commander Paul Yaras will step into the role as investigations commander,” Erickson said. “I am confident he will excel in his duties and continue to provide the village with excellent police services. We are blessed here in Morton Grove to have not only employees who have  a great work ethic, but who are really good people at heart.”