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Retired Cook County officer inducted into Torch Run Hall of Fame
A retired Cook County Sheriff's Officer is going above and beyond his role of protecting and serving.
CHICAGO - A retired Cook County Sheriff's Officer is going above and beyond his role of protecting and serving.
James Meier was just inducted into a Hall of Fame for his volunteer work and it's no ordinary task.
If you know Meier, you know to expect the unexpected.
"My wife says, 'you're always walking around like a billboard.' I've got something that says Special Olympics on it," he said.
His love for the organization began in 1988 and it's burned strong for 35 years.
From polar plunges to plane pulls, even camping out on a billboard for days – a stunt that attracted the likes of Julia Roberts – Meier has pulled out all the stops to raise money for the Special Olympics.
"I saw the benefits of what we were doing by the athletes and it just took over me," he said.
He is only the fifth Illinois police officer inducted into the Law Enforcement Torch Run Hall of Fame.
A fundraising campaign started in 1981 and carried on by officers around the country.
To date, the torch run has raised $1 billion for Special Olympics.
Tinley Park Sergeant Bill Devine is the father of an athlete and is a fan of the program.
"The opportunity they provide for our athletes to build their self-esteem, build their confidence, build their identities and their personalities to have that outlet for them and that platform – it's amazing, it's truly amazing," Devine said.
He's continuously impressed by Meier's passion to recruit new officers to the cause.
"To have him, as the father of an athlete, continuing to pass that knowledge down – it means the world to me," Devine said.
"Their tenacity to win or participate is the same level of anybody else," Meier said. "After all these years, it's still an emotional high for me."
It's a new badge of honor to accompany a long career in law enforcement.