Chicago Police Memorial Foundation to honor 13 law enforcement officers
CHICAGO - Forty-nine Chicago police officers have been shot at this year, and many of them are coming together to be honored.
On Thursday night, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation will honor 13 members of law enforcement with the Valor award, which is the highest award the foundation gives for those in the line of duty.
Eleven recipients this year are Chicago police officers that were shot in the line of duty. Two are ATF agents that took down shooters.
Gone but never forgotten, Chicago Police Officer Ella French will be honored along with her partners Josh Blas and Carlos Yanez Jr., who is still continuing to recover.
The three officers were ambushed back in August during a traffic stop in West Englewood. French was killed in the shooting.
"Posthumously honoring Ella I think is just something that is so important because she was simply doing her job, and doing what she's called to do every day. And she puts that star on and she didn't know she wasn't gonna come home. The rest of these officers woke up every morning, put their star on, went to work and had no idea they were gonna be shot in the line of duty. We're blessed and honored that the rest of them are still here with us, but we want to make sure that they know they're not alone," said Bridget Schuda of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Police Superintendent David Brown will be at the award ceremony at UIC.