Who We Are?
The Polish American Police Association of Chicago and Illinois (P.A.P.A.) is a social and fraternal organization, founded in 1964, for Chicago Police Officers and their families who are of Polish and Slavic descent. Since then P.A.P.A. has grown beyond the City of Chicago and now encompasses members from more than 50 local, state, county and Federal law enforcement agencies within the State of Illinois and across the country. P.A.P.A. even has members who are police officers in Poland. Civilians from all communities and professions with strong ties to their heritage and/or law enforcement are welcomed as Associate members. P.A.P.A. currently has over 400 active and associate members.
P.A.P.A. activities include general membership monthly meetings, a yearly race track outing, a family picnic, participation in the Polish Constitution Day Parade and an annual dinner dance recognizing individuals whose accomplishments reflect pride in their heritage and have a positive impact on the community. Proceeds from this and other events help finance the P.A.P.A. college scholarship fund. P.A.P.A. grants three partial college scholarships to the children of its members.
P.A.P.A. is a pro active organization interested in fostering the fraternal, ethnic, cultural, educational, civic, charitable, political and professional interests of its members and the Polish-Slavic communities. P.A.P.A. provides financial and manpower support for various social service and professional organizations that provide services to the immigrant and Polish-American community.
Notre Dame College Prep will hold its Annual Mass Honoring First Responders on Friday, September 10, 2010 at 9:30 am at Our Lady's Grotto on the ND campus at 7655 West Dempster Street.
All police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, nurses, etc. and their families and friends are welcome! First responders, please wear your uniforms if possible.
For details, contact 847.779.8610.
Taste of Polonia takes place from Friday September 3 through Monday, September 6 (Labor Day Weekend) at the Copernicus Foundation.
Volunteers are needed in various areas. Traditionally, members of the Advocates Society volunteer to help in recognition of our long-standing relationship with Copernicus.
It’s a lot of fun, and volunteers receive free admission. If you can help out, please contact Robert Groszek at (773) 267-6100 or Robert@groszeklaw.com.
Taste of Polonia is an annual festival of Polish food and culture featuring food, music, games and demonstrations of Policy handicrafts and culture.
For more information please visit www.copernicusfdn.org.
The Village of Indian Head Park is accepting applications for police officers. The deadline to submit an application is October 1, 2010.
The ONLINE APPLICATION is NOW AVAILABLE! In addition to the ONLINE APPLICATION, be sure to review MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS and REQUIRED DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE ON WWW.PUBLICSAFETYRECRUITMENT.COM.
CLICK HERE for APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS & REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
The Village of Bradley Police Department is accepting applications for police officers. The deadline to submit an application is September 17, 2010.
The ONLINE APPLICATION is NOW AVAILABLE! In addition to the ONLINE APPLICATION, be sure to review MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS and REQUIRED DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE ON WWW.PUBLICSAFETYRECRUITMENT.COM.
CLICK HERE for APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS & REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Public Safety Recruitment will be accepting applications in September 2010 on behalf of the City of Highland Park Police Department for the position of Police Officer.
As a minimum requirement, candidates MUST possess a valid POWER Test Card issued by NIPSTA (Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy). It is highly recommended that interested candidates schedule a test date for the POWER test as soon as possible; test dates fill up quickly.
The next POWER test date is Saturday, September 18, 2010. The deadline to submit an application is September 24, 2010.
For more information about the POWER test or to schedule a test date, please visit www.NIPSTA.org.
An email will be sent out when the online application for the City of Highland Park Police Department becomes available; recruitment is expected to begin in September. Online applications will be available online only at www.publicsafetyrecruitment.com.
If you have any questions, please contact Public Safety Recruitment at 1-800-343-HIRE (4473).
Please note that the September 7th meeting will be on the SOUTH SIDE at Polonia Banquets located at 4604 S. Archer Ave., Chicago. The meeting will begin at approximately 7:30 pm - arrive early for a Polish buffet. Please note the price at the door for this meeting will be $10.
The members of PAPA would like to offer their condolences to the families of the victims in this mornings tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers are going out to the people of Poland.
Click here for more information about this story
Associate member scholarship:
Stephanie Raciak who will be attending the University of Illinois in Champagne.
Sworn Member scholarships:
Ashley Mikutis who will be attending Purdue University in Indiana.
Paul Jankowski Jr. who will be attending Trine University.
Edward was a co-founder, treasurer and past president of the Polish-American Police Association and will be greatly missed.
Click here for obituary notice
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced in August, 2005 he has introduced legislation in the Senate to proclaim Casimir Pulaski to be an honorary citizen of the United States. Pulaski, a Polish nobleman and army officer, a hero for the colonial forces during the American Revolution. Pulaski was born in Podolia (now in Ukraine). In 1768 Pulaski took part in the Confederation of Bar, a patriotic Polish revolt against Russian control of Poland, and became a leader of the patriots. The revolt was unsuccessful and he escaped to the Ottoman Empire. In 1775 he was in France, where the representative of the American colonies, Benjamin Franklin, induced him to join the American colonists in their fight against Great Britain. He arrived in Philadelphia and entered the Continental Army in 1777. For distinguished service at the Battle of the Brandywine he was appointed chief of dragoons with the rank of brigadier general the same year.
In 1778, with a commission from the Continental Congress, Pulaski organized an independent corps of cavalry and light infantry, known as the Pulaski Legion. Pulaski and the corps were ordered to South Carolina in 1779 to support the American general Benjamin Lincoln. They reached Charleston, South Carolina, in May and helped to defend the city against a British attack. Later that year Pulaski joined forces with General Lincoln, who, assisted by a French force, was planning to besiege Savannah, Georgia. The Polish general commanded the French and American cavalry during the siege, but in an attack on October 9, 1779, he was mortally wounded and died two days later.
After coming to America, he wrote to George Washington, “I came here, where freedom is being defended, to serve it, and to live or die for it.”
“Casimir Pulaski made the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of American freedom,” Durbin said. “When we think of our nation’s struggle for freedom in its early years, we also must think of Casimir Pulaski and his brave contributions to our nation’s birth.”
Benjamin Franklin encountered Pulaski while in Paris and recommended that Washington accept Pulaski as a volunteer in the in the American Calvary. Washington elevated Pulaski to Brigadier General of the American Cavalry on September 15, 1777—just four days after Pulaski saved Washington’s life and averted defeat at the Battle of Brandywine. In 1779, he fought the British in Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. It was as a result of his actions in Savannah that he died.
Pulaski has been honored throughout our nation’s history. In September, 1929, Congress designated October 11 as Pulaski Day to be observed by Presidential Proclamation; it also authorized the Post Office to issue a Pulaski commemorative stamp. In 1973, Illinois designated the first Monday of March as Pulaski Commemorative day in Illinois and in 1986 declared the day to be a state holiday.
An identical measure introduced in the House of Representatives has 22 co-sponsors, including the following Illinois members: Dan Lipinski, Rahm Emanuel, John Shimkus, Jerry Costello, Jan Schakowsky and Luis Gutierrez. This Joint Resolution would need to pass the House and Senate, as well as be signed by the President, to grant Pulaski posthumous honorary citizenship.
Only six people have ever been declared honorary citizens of the United States. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was the first in 1963 and Marquis de la Fayette, a Frenchman who supported the American Revolution, was the last in 2002. The others were Swedish diplomat and Holocaust hero Raoul Wallenberg in 1981, Pennsylvania co-founder and governor William Callowhill Penn and his wife Hannah—a Pennsylvania administrator—in 1984, and Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu—better known as Mother Teresa—in 1996.
