Short film recognized on eve of memorial groundbreaking this week in Springfield

The Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation announced today that an 8-minute film honoring the over 60 State Troopers who have died in the line of duty since 1922, received an Emmy Award on Saturday evening, November 7 at the 2015 Emmy Awards celebration in Chicago.  The award was received on the eve of groundbreaking for a privately funded Memorial Park that will honor Illinois’ fallen State Troopers in perpetuity later this week in Springfield.

The touching story of Illinois’ fallen men and women entitled Not Forgotten, is told through the eyes of three family survivors, former Director of Illinois State Police, President of the Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation, Ron Cooley, and former Illinois Governor, James R. Thompson.

“Every day, the state police put their lives on the line for the people of this state,” says former Governor Thompson in the film. Thompson served as 37th governor of the state from 1977 until 1991. “When a state trooper dies in the line of duty, society owes them a permanent debt. And that”s what a memorial is designed to do.”

The film, produced to raise awareness for the loss endured by loved ones and the need to build a Memorial Park for all fallen Illinois State Troopers, was a gift from the Andrew T. Berlin Family Foundation. It has been used to help raise almost half of the $3 million goal established by the Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation.

“We get some really good people,” adds Hiram Grau, former Director, Illinois State Police in the film. “They do put their lives on the line every day.”

 

The memorial for fallen Illinois State Troopers is funded solely by private donations – no taxpayer funds are being used. 100% of a donor’s contribution is tax deductible and will be used exclusively toward the building of the Memorial Park to honor and remember the sacrifice of every man and woman lost in the line of duty as an Illinois State Trooper.

Groundbreaking in Springfield is scheduled for 11 a.m. CST Thursday, November 12, immediately north of the Illinois State Police Headquarters on Lawrence St.

About The Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation
The purpose of the Foundation is to: preserve and present the history, evolution, and development of the Illinois State Police; educate the public, specifically the youth, concerning the roles, functions and contributions of civilian and sworn employees; provide means for the law enforcement agency and the community to foster better relations through positive interaction; and promote an understanding of police work that will increase the general public’s awareness of this work, support departmental recruitment efforts, and strengthen pride in law enforcement activities and accomplishments., visit www.ISPHF.org.