Home Chicago Press Releases 2009 FBI Honors 13 Local Police Officers for Heroic Actions in Kidnapping Investigation
Info
This is archived material from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) website. It may contain outdated information and links may no longer function.

FBI Honors 13 Local Police Officers for Heroic Actions in Kidnapping Investigation

FBI Chicago June 15, 2009
  • Special Agent Garrett Croon (312) 829-1199

Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today that 13 local police officers have been recognized by FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III for their heroic actions and the invaluable assistance they provided to the FBI in the investigation of a kidnapping and the attempted extortion of an Oak Lawn bank last year. The 13 officers were honored in a ceremony held on Friday at the Chicago FBI’s headquarters.

The investigation that led to the awards presented Friday began on July 10, 2008, with the armed kidnapping of a Chicago man as he walked to his home on the city’s south side. He was then transported to a residence in the 400 block of West 119th Street, and was held hostage at gunpoint.

The next morning, the kidnappers contacted the victim’s fiancée and demanded that she take money from the Oak Lawn bank where she worked, in exchange for the safe release of the kidnapping victim. Instead of complying with the kidnapper’s demands, she notified her supervisors, who in turn contacted law enforcement.

FBI agents, assisted by local law enforcement officers, began investigating and arranged for the controlled delivery of money, purportedly funds taken from the bank. The package containing the money was placed under surveillance and when two of the kidnappers retrieved it, they were followed to the residence on West 119th Street.

After arriving at the residence, six individuals were arrested; one after a brief car chase. FBI agents and local police officers had to forcibly gain entrance to the residence, where the remaining five subjects retreated to a second floor bedroom. Before they could take the remaining subjects into custody, the arresting agents and officers were forced to climb a flight of stairs under the threat of gunfire and in the process, were confronted by two attack dogs, which they were forced to neutralize.

The kidnapping victim was rescued, found tied to a chair on the first floor of the home. The victim had been beaten about the face and head, and suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.

In announcing the presentation of these awards, Mr. Grant commended all of the officers and FBI agents involved in this investigation. Said Mr. Grant, “The bravery and dedication to duty exhibited on July 10, 2008 led not only to the safe rescue of a kidnapping victim, but the arrest without loss of life of six armed kidnappers. The residents of the each of the communities whose officers were honored should be justly proud of these professional law enforcement officers who serve them daily.”

Those recognized for their valor Friday were Deputies Jason O’Malley, John Kruswicki and Daniel Strong of the Cook County Sheriff’s Police; Officer Glenn Tienstra of the Hickory Hills Police Department; Officers Dale Underwood and Michael Steurer of the Joliet Police Department; Detective Marty McGrath, Sergeant Dan Foley and Officers Charles Zylius, Joseph Schmidt, Brian Duffy, Jerry Vedder, and Steven McNeila of the Oak Lawn Police Department.