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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CONGRATULATING ALFONSO “AL” BAUTISTA ON HIS RETIREMENT AFTER 40 YEARS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
WHEREAS, Alfonso “Al” Bautista was born and raised in Chicago and is the third of six sons born to Miguel and Elvira Bautista; and
WHEREAS, the Bautista family lived in an apartment above their small neighborhood grocery store El Esfuerzo (The Effort), founded in 1952 located in the Pilsen neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, as a young boy, Al demonstrated that he was a dedicated hard worker by helping his father sweep the store, sort pop bottles, and stock shelves; and
WHEREAS, Al’s parents worked hard and provided him every opportunity to achieve his educational goals; and
WHEREAS, Al graduated from Andrew Jackson Elementary School and went on to graduate from Lane Technical High School in 1972; and
WHEREAS, at a very young age, Al set a goal to become a Chicago Police Officer with aspirations of becoming a detective; and
WHEREAS, in 1978, Al was sworn in as an Illinois State Trooper and became the first law enforcement officer in the Bautista family; and
WHEREAS, in 1980, Al fulfilled his goal and was called to service as a Chicago Police Officer; and
WHEREAS, Al was highly regarded and respected by his supervisors and peers for his good character and judgment; and
WHEREAS, Al achieved his career dream when he was meritoriously promoted to a detective and assigned to the homicide unit of the Chicago Police Department; and
WHEREAS, Al continued his hard work ethics as a detective and was subsequently promoted to sergeant where he led and supervised police officers in specialized units in complex investigations; and
WHEREAS, due to his hard work and dedication, Al was the recipient of numerous department awards and complimentary letters from citizens, other police agencies, and attorneys from several jurisdictions; and
WHEREAS, Al married Shirley Pulido who was from the Back of the Yards neighborhood and welcomed two beautiful daughters - Raquel and Alexia; and
WHEREAS, Al went back to school while working in the police department to earn his Bachelor’s Degree for the sole purpose of demonstrating to his daughters the importance and necessity of education. He graduated from Lewis University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 2003; and
WHEREAS, Al retired from the force in 2008 and immediately began a new chapter in his law enforcement career when he was hired as an investigator with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office where he is presently employed; and
WHEREAS, in 2008, Al chaired a fundraising committee consisting of family members and friends to help a young girl diagnosed with ovarian cancer. In a period of approximately 3 weeks, the committee raised over $25,000 dollars for the young girl and her family to assist them with their financial burden in seeking adequate medical treatment for her; and
WHEREAS, in 2011, Al created the Miguel & Elvira Bautista Memorial Scholarship in honor and memory of his parents and started a fundraising golf outing and holiday dinner dance. Funds from these events have supported more than 40 low-income families and over 90 elementary aged children with educational scholarships between 2011 and 2018. Funds from these events have also been donated to Saint Ann’s School, Mother McAuley High School, De La Salle High School, Christo Rey High School, The Fraternal Order of Wildcats Org., and Casa Catalina Catholic Charities Org; and
WHEREAS, after 40 years in law enforcement and commitment to his community, Alfonso “Al” Bautista is retiring.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby congratulates Alfonso “Al” Bautista on 40 years in law enforcement and wishes him a happy retirement; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this text be spread upon the proceedings of this Honorable Body and that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Alfonso “Al” Bautista.
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