OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
MAYOR
March 5,2014
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I transmit herewith a congratulatory resolution concerning the Chicago Police Department.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Mayor
Very truly yours,
H resolution
adopted by 7)ie Qity QoUHcil
ofthe Qity of Qhicago, Illinois
presented by MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL 0M MARCH 5, 2014
Whereas , On April 16, 2013, off-duty 25th District Sergeant Robert A. Rubio (Star #876) of the Chicago Police Department stopped at a gas station at the corner of Cicero and Foster Avenues to fuel his nearly empty car; and
WHEREAS, Sergeant Rubio was startled to see a masked man armed with a handgun and two other masked men run out of a nearby liquor store, leading him to believe a robbery had just occurred; and
WHEREAS, It was later revealed the men had held the clerk at gunpoint, threatened to kill him, and taken several hundred dollars; and
WHEREAS, Thinking quickly, and ignoring the risk of engaging with armed offenders, Sergeant Rubio began to follow the men in his own car, using strategic driving techniques to deceive the men from knowing he was following them, and began relaying information to 911 using his mobile phone; and
WHEREAS, When the offenders realized that Sergeant Rubio was following them, they began firing repeated shots at him, nearly striking an innocent civilian; and
WHEREAS, Undeterred by the real risk of immediate death. Sergeant Rubio was able to maintain his composure over the course of a lengthy pursuit while continuing to update Office of Emergency Management and Communication dispatchers; and
WHEREAS, With great concern for the safety of bystanders. Sergeant Rubio did not return gunfire for fear of placing others in crossfire despite being fired upon while pursuing the armed offenders; and
WHEREAS, Aided by Sergeant Rubio's valuable updates and dogged pursuit, police units from Skokie, the Illinois State Police and the North Chicago Police joined in the pursuit, which continued for 35 miles; and
WHEREAS, Having exhausted his remaining fuel, Sergeant Rubio's vehicle finally ran out of gasoline, forcing him to relinquish the pursuit to the assisting officers; and
WHEREAS, Ultimately, the three offenders abandoned their vehicle, fled on foot and forced their way into a house occupied by a mother and two toddlers. Police officers quickly surrounded the building and the offenders were apprehended without any injury to the mother or her children. Their loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun was recovered, and the men were subsequently charged with multiple counts of Armed Robbery and Attempted Murder; and
WHEREAS, As a result of Sergeant Rubio's keen observation skills, selfless courage and professionalism, three violent criminals were apprehended immediately after their dangerous crime spree and now face justice; and
WHEREAS, Thanks to the exemplary efforts of Sergeant Rubio, three dangerous men have been taken off the streets of Chicago; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this fifth day of March, 2014, do hereby honor Chicago Police Sergeant Robert A. Rubio for his display of bravery and dedication in the face of danger; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Chicago Police Sergeant Robert A. Rubio, and placed on permanent record in his personnel file, as a token of our gratitude and esteem.