MEMORIAL RESOLUTION FOR ROY L. "BILL" FRAKES
WHEREAS, On July 20, 1992, a tragic event unfolded at the Everett McKinley Dirk sen United States Courthouse, which resulted in the deaths of two fine lawmen, Deputy U.S. Marshal Roy L. "Bill" Frakes and Court Security Officer Harry A. Belluomini; and
WHEREAS, This tragedy marked the only such death of two federal law enforcement officers from the same incident at a United States Courthouse in modern times; and
WHEREAS, Deputy U.S. Marshal Frakes, then 30 years-old, joined the U.S. Marshals Service in October 1991 after waiting three years for an opening; and
WHEREAS, Deputy U.S. Marshal Frakes died in the line of duty when a federal prisoner wrestled a firearm away from a guard during a prisoner movement, tragically cutting short his long-held dream of serving as a U.S. Marshal; and
WHEREAS, A native of Illinois, Deputy U.S. Marshal Frakes had been a Deputy Marshal for only nine months when he was killed; and
WHEREAS, The Marshal Service knew Deputy U.S. Marshal Frakes as an individual of integrity and strong ethical and moral fiber, well educated, dedicated to the Service's mission, devoted to his wife Wendy, and committed to the duties he was sworn to uphold; and
WHEREAS, In December 1992, Deputy U.S. Marshal Frakes was posthumously awarded the Robert Forsyth Act of Valor Award, the Marshals Service's highest tribute for heroism; and
WHEREAS, In June 1993, the Marshals Service dedicated its air operations hangar facility, located at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City, in Deputy U.S. Marshal Frakes's honor; and
WHEREAS, Deputy U.S. Marshal Frakes is remembered not only as a person who set an example for all future generations of Marshals, but most of all for his courageous actions on July 20, 1992, which set a standard by which every Marshal has and will be measured; and
WHEREAS, 2019 marked the 27th anniversary of this terrible event; had he lived, Deputy U.S. Marshal Frakes would have reached his mandatory retirement age of 57; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED: That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this nineteenth day of February, 2020, do hereby extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and coworkers of Roy L. "Bill" Frakes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to the family of Roy L. "Bill" Frakes as a sign of our gratitude and respect.