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National Police Week Memorial Service

FBI Chicago May 11, 2009
  • Special Agent Garrett Croon (312) 829-1199

The Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will be hosting a memorial service on Friday, May 15th, as part of National Police Week observances. The service will pay tribute to the special agents of the FBI who have given their lives in the line-of-duty. 

In addition, Detective Joseph Airhart of the Chicago Police Department will also be honored. Detective Airhart died this past November of wounds he suffered in August of 2001 while attempting to arrest a serial bank robbery suspect.  At the time of the shooting, Detective Airhart was assigned to the Chicago FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force.

This year’s service will be hosted by Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office.  Paul Meincke, award-winning reporter for WLS-TV in Chicago, will be the featured speaker. Mr. Meincke will be sharing his thoughts and experience from helping to negotiate the release of Detective Airhart after the shooting. The Chicago Police Department’s Emerald Society, Pipe and Drum Corps, and members of the U.S. Navy’s Great Lakes Band, will be performing.

Also being honored this year will be Special Agent Edwin Shanahan, who was the first FBI Agent to die in the line-of-duty.  SA Shanahan was mortally wounded while attempting to arrest a suspected car thief on Chicago’s south side in October of 1925.  Relatives of SA Shanahan will be in attendance to share their family’s memories of SA Shanahan.

To date, 54 special agents have been killed in the line of duty. Eight of those who have died were assigned to the Chicago office, more than any other field office in the FBI.

The Memorial Service is open to news organizations and will be held at the Chicago FBI’s headquarters building, located at 2111 West Roosevelt Road in Chicago, beginning at 10:00 a.m. News media vehicles can park in the visitor’s parking lot, located on Roosevelt Road.

Additional information about the ceremony can be obtained from the Chicago FBI’s Press Office at (312) 829-1199.