Metra officer shot @ Harvey

" The Metra commuter rail authority today offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman who shot and killed a Metra police officer overnight at a south suburban train station."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/cust ... 5938.story

My mom even called me today about this. Turns out the victim is the husband of one of her friends from her old job. First Metra officer ever killed in the line of duty? Pretty screwed up.

It sure is. And although some railfans are always quick to point out when Metra cops hassle them (right or wrong) over taking pictures, this is a grim reminder of just how difficult and dangerous their job can be...

The officer thought that it will be safer to be a metra cop then when he was a riverdale cop.
Look what happened!

If somebody seeen what happen or the person, who would do this should tgo to the police, or turn themselves in, beacuse this cop didnt have to leave the world like this, nobody should go like this.

To the point a cop dont matter if he works for metra, or different railroad, or transit cops are just in the line of fire as city, county, or state cops.

JT4 and all: I remember that ME travels thru some tough areas-I recall a couple of years ago a ME conductor was shot on the Blue Island branch during a holdup. From reading the C.T. article I thought that METRA would have more than 90 officers-is that the number assigned to ME? The C.T. article on Officer James Cook was a example of what anyone living in tough areas could face-let alone law enforcement. I seem to recall some police agencies have strict residency requirements-for example a MTA PD officer here around NY would have to reside in NYS with the exception being MNCR-Connecticut residency for MTA PD officers patrolling CT areas I believe. Living in New Jersey would be not acceptable for example. I find it interesting the officer resided in Indiana-Is there rules for police officers on residency such as Chicago who have to live within the city limits? In closing lets hope that the perpetrators of this outrageous act are soon brought to justice! MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX
The metra police department by hearing on the news only has 100 cops(if not less) on its force to watch over the entire system,

Also on lines such as Union Pacific W/NW/ & N lines , and the BNSF lines, those railroads have some of there cops watch the stations, and trains on those lines, but I dont see them all the time. So I am gussing that those cops that be on the BNSF trains mostally on weekends are BNSF police.

Also when I have to ride the ME to Harvey, I either go during daylight, or take someone with me. I just try to avoid that area almost completley if I am not driving over there.

1. If I recall a Trains or R&R article from about 1993, C&NW only had seven cops for their whole system, and 5 were always stationed at CPT to watch the three commuter lines - so 100 for the entire metra system is an improvement.

2. Hegewisch, a Chicago neighborhood served by the South Shore, is known as the place where most firefighters and cops live, because they are all required to live in town. I was thinking about moving there if I didn't go back to school. I'm surprised Metra cops don't have to live in-state. I know they don't patrol NICTD/CSS into Indiana, as they have their own cops based at Dune Park. I have no idea who patrols CNW-N past the state line, but I bet MikeF does.

3. Speaking of MikeF, they must be working you pretty hard up there - we haven't heard from you nearly as much lately. Be careful man.

Tadman wrote:I have no idea who patrols CNW-N past the state line, but I bet MikeF does.

Sad to say I don't know for sure. My guess would be Union Pacific cops. Maybe one of these days I'll head over that way and do something suspicious and see who shows up.

Speaking of MikeF, they must be working you pretty hard up there - we haven't heard from you nearly as much lately. Be careful man.

Yup, it's been pretty busy around here. Wish I could get on the Chicago job again so I can return to Metra territory!

Tadman: My favorite example of a neighborhood on the S side loaded with cops and firefighters is Mount Greenwood. I recall back in the 70s and early 80s the neighborhood that my relatives lived near 79th and Kedzie Avenue had their share. In fact my best Chicago friend there back then's father was a CPD cop. I would like to know any residency laws if they exist for example for cops in the suburban areas-Do they have to live for example in Cook County if they work there? As an example I know here NYPD officers are permitted to live outside the city in the NYS counties that border NYC-Westchester and Nassau and the outlying counties that border those counties-Suffolk,Putnam and Rockland. Also-I wonder how many METRA PD officers are former RR cops that got their jobs absorbed thru METRA takeovers?

I would guess few Metra PD guys were directly pulled from their respective RRPD's in the eighties, and here's why: If metra has 100 guys now working their system, and five of them are former Northwestern guys, that leaves 95 to draw from the following roads:
1. RI - broke as a joke, not likely many officers on the payroll
2. BN - probably 5-10 max
3. IC - probably 10ish, owning to Markham yard not being the most amazing of neighborhoods
4. GM&O/ICG - not many, only one train each way
5. NS/Wab - same as GM&O/ICG
6. CSS - own private force still used past hegewisch
7. MILW - broke, probably not many - ask Gilbert Norman, he'd know. (I'll send him a PM)

Metra initially pulled from the railroads, specifically the Rock and the Milwaukee. Metra offered such high wages that most Milwaukee officers left the Milwaukee before the sale to the Soo Line.

These days, Metra is handing out political favors by hiring retired police officers. Most are politically connected in one way or another, and rightfully so. With overtime, even before "9-11", many Metra police officers grossed over $100,000 annually.

Typical Chicago move - I love the city, but I don't miss the corruption. The last year I was there, I didn't bid any city or county contracts because I knew I wouldn't get them as an outsider from Indiana.

America's Most Wanted has picked up the case.