Pekau, Rossi visit paralyzed Chicago cop Golden

By Jeff Vorva

Chicago police officer Danny Golden received a visit from Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau and the village’s police chief, Eric Rossi, Monday afternoon.

Golden is paralyzed from the waist down after he was shot in the Beverly neighborhood in Chicago while trying to break up a fight at a bar on July 8.

The Orland Park bosses visited Golden at a rehab center in Chicago and presented him with a large card signed by Orland Park residents and workers.

“He was in good spirits,” Pekau said at Monday night’s village board meeting. “He was very positive. We saw him in between rehab sessions. We’re hoping for a full recovery for him. We thank him for all of his hard work. He is an outstanding officer. He is one of the best the Chicago PD has to offer. One of our officers, who came from Chicago, worked with him.”

Pekau is also offering to give Golden a refurbished motorized wheelchair that was presented to the Orland Park Veterans Commission. Golden is an Army veteran.

“We told them that if he does need that wheelchair, we will give it to him,” Pekau said. “If he doesn’t, we will find a home for it.”

Jumping from justice

Pekau lauded Orland Park police for arresting a Calumet City man Friday who was allegedly driving a stolen car and fled the scene. He ran into the Orland Square Mall and jumped from the second floor to the first and was injured and arrested.

Devonta Harris, 26, was arrested in the incident.

Orland Fire Protection District paramedics treated Harris for injuries he suffered from his jump and was transported to Silver Cross Hospital.

Officers found a loaded Glock handgun, with an extended magazine, on the driver’s seat of the stolen vehicle.

Further investigation revealed Harris’ current active parole status as he is wanted by the Cook County Sheriff’s Department for escape as his electronic monitoring bracelet had been illegally removed. Harris also has an original arrest warrant from the Tinley Park Police Department for fleeing and eluding.

Orland Park police caged him with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon with a prior conviction, fleeing and eluding police, obstructing a peace officer and obstructing identification.

“That was great police work in the mall,” Pekau said. “Again, we talk about this over and over and over again about how crime is the lowest it’s been in 27 years. It’s true. It doesn’t mean there aren’t criminals in town.

“We had to adjust our approach to getting those criminals before they commit a crime in Orland Park.”

Pekau continues to be angry that felons are set free and coming into the village.

“In this case, we had someone who cut their ankle monitor and here we go again,” the mayor said. “He was on ankle monitoring not jail as he should be. He was in a stolen car, and we tracked and while we were investigating the person ran from us and back into the mall.

“He decided to try to take a leap from the second floor to the first and it didn’t go so well. So, thank you very much for the outstanding police work keeping us safe and getting someone else off the street that had a criminal history that Cook County is not taking care of.”

Pulling the plug

The village board voted to reject a two-year continuation of a deal with MC Squared for electrical aggregation.

The village was to receive a civic contribution grant of $12,000 per year. It currently received $250,000 per year.

The board voted 5-0 (with Brian Riordan and Joni Radaszewski absent) to wait a year and see if that number goes back up.