Petition to rename and rededicate the Morgan St. Bridge as the “Police Memorial Bridge” Rockford, Illinois

“Police Officers put the badge on every morning not knowing for sure if they’ll come home at night to take it off.” Tom Cotton, US Senator

When signing this petition please add your County and State of residence in the signature line without commas.

Whereas,

1) The Rockford community is continuing to experience an unprecedented increase in criminal activity including life threatening violence.

2) The risk of becoming a crime victim cuts across all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups. No neighborhood is safe.

3) The Citizenry and others in our community depend on the men and women of the law enforcement community to push back against and to suppress the criminal element that endangers each of us and our community as a whole.

4) Rockford Police Officer Jaimie Cox, after less than one year on the job, lost his life in the line of duty. Other officers killed include Detective Kevin Darrel Rice, Sr. (2001) Patrol Officer Randall A. Blank (1980), Patrol Officer Charles Jeffery Williams (1972), Patrol Officer Arthur Bassett (1927), Patrol Officer Frank Cichella (1927) and Patrol Officer Lorenzo Gillogly (1917).

5) The tragic passing of each of these Police Officers remains a tremendous loss for their loved ones and for our community.

6) As a community we must acknowledge and express our gratitude to the men and women of law enforcement. We hereby petition the Rockford City Council to commemorate those who have died in the service of our community and our individual safety.

Wherefore,

We the undersigned petition and direct the City of Rockford to take the following immediate actions:

1) Pass an Ordinance to rename the Morgan Street Bridge to the “Police Memorial Bridge.”

2) Establish a volunteer Citizen Advisory Group representing all sectors of the community to commission a competition to chose a design for the plaque from entires by student artists from Rockford High Schools.

3) The Advisory Group will raise private donations to fund the design and selection competition, fabrication and installation of this plaque.