HR0267 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0267 LRB097 11485 KXB 54138 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Norbert F. Smith on his retirement as a Village Trustee from the Village of Evergreen Park; and

WHEREAS, He was born in Chicago on September 1, 1938 to Mary and William Smith; he had 2 brothers, Bill and Ed, and a sister, Mary Dee; he spent his early days working in the family gas station, where he learned about hard work and responsibility; and

WHEREAS, He attended St. Rita High School and established the foundation of his life-long commitment to the Catholic Church; he served in the Illinois National Guard and was honorably discharged in August of 1967; he married Geraldine "Geri" Strehl on May 20, 1970 and they later moved to Evergreen Park; and

WHEREAS, He worked part-time for the Evergreen Park Police Department beginning in October of 1961 and became a full-time patrolman on January 1, 1963; he served under Mayor Henry Klein and rose through the ranks to Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Deputy Chief, and eventually was appointed the Chief of Police on February 2, 1979 under Mayor Anthony Vacco; he served as Chief until 1995; in 1997, he was elected Village Trustee and served 4 consecutive terms until his decision to retire in 2011; and

WHEREAS, He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia; he is one of the original founders and past President of FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association; he is a Past President of the South Suburban Police Chiefs Association, a Past President of the Fifth District Police Chiefs Association, a member of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, and a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police; he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Masters degree in Science from Chicago State University; and

WHEREAS, Norbert Smith has made the decision to retire after serving the Village of Evergreen Park for over 50 years, serving under 3 administrations, and always doing his work with pride and dignity; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Norbert Smith on his retirement and wish him well in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Norbert Smith as a symbol of our respect and esteem.