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I am outraged by this violent, senseless act. I ride this rail line fairly often. The number of thugs that have invaded the south suburbs has steadily grown. I for one am sick of it...Rest In Peace Officer Thomas Cook.
Metra cop slain at Harvey station
South suburban commuters say Harvey depot is woefully unsafe
September 29, 2006
BY FRANK MAIN, ANNIE SWEENEY, STEVE PATTERSON AND MONIFA THOMAS Staff Reporters
Cook County Deputy Sheriff Robert Cook steeled himself when he heard that his younger brother -- a Metra police officer -- had been shot to death at a train stop in Harvey on Wednesday night.
Cook drove to the murder scene and asked to see the body.
"I went to my brother," Cook said quietly. "When they put him in the ambulance, I gave him a kiss and said goodbye."
Thomas Cook, 43, a married father of two and the son of a retired Riverdale police chief, became Metra's first officer to be killed in the line of duty.
3 loud bangs
About 9 p.m. Wednesday, police found him slumped over the steering wheel of his marked squad car with a bullet wound in the left side of his head and his SIG-Sauer service handgun missing, authorities said. The driver-side window was rolled down about 3 inches.
Residents taking out their trash said they heard three loud bangs and saw people run from the squad car. One resident said he called 911 after he yelled to see whether Cook was OK and did not get a response.
'I never feel safe'
Police did not find any weapons or bullet casings at the murder scene, and the car was undamaged, officials said.
Investigators took several people into custody for questioning, but no one was arrested Thursday, sources said. Officers were canvassing the neighborhood door-to-door and used a bloodhound to search the scene.
The slaying took place in the 300 block of East 147th Place across the street from the Metra Electric Line station at 147th and Clinton, which commuters said they fear because of reports of crime there.
"I never feel safe," said Michelle Whitehead of Glenwood, pointing to a fellow male commuter who walks her and other women to their cars at night. "If he's not around, I'm walking out to my car in the dark, looking around, under my car before I get in."
Metra offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman. The murder is being investigated by a task force including the Illinois State Police, Harvey police and other south suburban departments.
Cook, of Dyer, Ind., had been an officer with the approximately 90-officer Metra Police Department since February 2003. Before that, he worked for the Riverdale Police Department for about nine years, Metra spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said. He left Riverdale to work in less-dangerous situations, according to those who knew him.
"He was looking for greener pastures," his brother said.
Their father, Charles Cook, was chief of the Riverdale police from 1948 to 1970. After suffering a heart attack, he returned to the department as a captain and retired in 1979. He died in 1985.
Thomas Cook normally patrolled the Blue Island branch of the Electric Line -- not the Harvey branch. He was working overtime Wednesday, his brother said.
"He never said anything about working in a tough area," Robert Cook said. "He just did it."
Metra commuters at the Harvey station have long been complaining about rising crime on the platform and around the parking lot, which is controlled by the City of Harvey.
Warning signs ripped down
Metra put up cardboard signs announcing a rash of robberies on the Harvey platform, though many of the signs were ripped down and defaced.
The signs indicated there would be an increased police presence, but for weeks afterward, there were no officers, commuters said.
In May, the Metra Police Department boosted patrols at Harvey and other south suburban stations because of an increase in violent crimes ranging from assault to strong-arm robberies, Metra officials said.
Recently, an officer would be seen on the platform or in his car nearby, offering a smile to passing commuters.
Still, about two weeks ago, a commuter put up her own hand-made sign, urging other commuters to contact Harvey police about cars being broken into, commuters being harassed and robberies on the platform.
That sign was ripped down, too.
'I'm just praying'
The station has no manned ticket office, and Harvey operates a cash window for parking only in the morning hours. That leaves commuters feeling vulnerable.
Paulette Adams of Lansing said trains on multiple tracks around the platform often block the view from the street, making waiting commuters easy marks.
"When I'm alone, I'm just praying," Adams said.
Floodlights installed
U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has called for the State Police and Cook County sheriff's office to take over policing in Harvey, saying shoddy policing is putting citizens at risk. But Mayor Eric Kellogg insists he is doing a good job fighting crime.
Thursday night, about a dozen officers were at the Harvey station, handing out information about the reward and informing commuters about the shooting.
The normally dimly lit stop had also been upgraded with seven floodlights
Metra cop slain at Harvey station
South suburban commuters say Harvey depot is woefully unsafe
September 29, 2006
BY FRANK MAIN, ANNIE SWEENEY, STEVE PATTERSON AND MONIFA THOMAS Staff Reporters
Cook County Deputy Sheriff Robert Cook steeled himself when he heard that his younger brother -- a Metra police officer -- had been shot to death at a train stop in Harvey on Wednesday night.
Cook drove to the murder scene and asked to see the body.
"I went to my brother," Cook said quietly. "When they put him in the ambulance, I gave him a kiss and said goodbye."
Thomas Cook, 43, a married father of two and the son of a retired Riverdale police chief, became Metra's first officer to be killed in the line of duty.
3 loud bangs
About 9 p.m. Wednesday, police found him slumped over the steering wheel of his marked squad car with a bullet wound in the left side of his head and his SIG-Sauer service handgun missing, authorities said. The driver-side window was rolled down about 3 inches.
Residents taking out their trash said they heard three loud bangs and saw people run from the squad car. One resident said he called 911 after he yelled to see whether Cook was OK and did not get a response.
'I never feel safe'
Police did not find any weapons or bullet casings at the murder scene, and the car was undamaged, officials said.
Investigators took several people into custody for questioning, but no one was arrested Thursday, sources said. Officers were canvassing the neighborhood door-to-door and used a bloodhound to search the scene.
The slaying took place in the 300 block of East 147th Place across the street from the Metra Electric Line station at 147th and Clinton, which commuters said they fear because of reports of crime there.
"I never feel safe," said Michelle Whitehead of Glenwood, pointing to a fellow male commuter who walks her and other women to their cars at night. "If he's not around, I'm walking out to my car in the dark, looking around, under my car before I get in."
Metra offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman. The murder is being investigated by a task force including the Illinois State Police, Harvey police and other south suburban departments.
Cook, of Dyer, Ind., had been an officer with the approximately 90-officer Metra Police Department since February 2003. Before that, he worked for the Riverdale Police Department for about nine years, Metra spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said. He left Riverdale to work in less-dangerous situations, according to those who knew him.
"He was looking for greener pastures," his brother said.
Their father, Charles Cook, was chief of the Riverdale police from 1948 to 1970. After suffering a heart attack, he returned to the department as a captain and retired in 1979. He died in 1985.
Thomas Cook normally patrolled the Blue Island branch of the Electric Line -- not the Harvey branch. He was working overtime Wednesday, his brother said.
"He never said anything about working in a tough area," Robert Cook said. "He just did it."
Metra commuters at the Harvey station have long been complaining about rising crime on the platform and around the parking lot, which is controlled by the City of Harvey.
Warning signs ripped down
Metra put up cardboard signs announcing a rash of robberies on the Harvey platform, though many of the signs were ripped down and defaced.
The signs indicated there would be an increased police presence, but for weeks afterward, there were no officers, commuters said.
In May, the Metra Police Department boosted patrols at Harvey and other south suburban stations because of an increase in violent crimes ranging from assault to strong-arm robberies, Metra officials said.
Recently, an officer would be seen on the platform or in his car nearby, offering a smile to passing commuters.
Still, about two weeks ago, a commuter put up her own hand-made sign, urging other commuters to contact Harvey police about cars being broken into, commuters being harassed and robberies on the platform.
That sign was ripped down, too.
'I'm just praying'
The station has no manned ticket office, and Harvey operates a cash window for parking only in the morning hours. That leaves commuters feeling vulnerable.
Paulette Adams of Lansing said trains on multiple tracks around the platform often block the view from the street, making waiting commuters easy marks.
"When I'm alone, I'm just praying," Adams said.
Floodlights installed
U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has called for the State Police and Cook County sheriff's office to take over policing in Harvey, saying shoddy policing is putting citizens at risk. But Mayor Eric Kellogg insists he is doing a good job fighting crime.
Thursday night, about a dozen officers were at the Harvey station, handing out information about the reward and informing commuters about the shooting.
The normally dimly lit stop had also been upgraded with seven floodlights
RIP...
RAY WAS HERE 08/28/05
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