The Superintendent of Police has directed that only qualified officers on duty disability or occupational disability be issued a duty disability star and new duty disability ID to replace the duty disability identification card they now carry. These stars are now ready for distribution.

Unit commanding officers are requested to assist the Personal Division by providing information to members, formally assigned to their units and now on duty disability or occupational health status, that the duty disability star is now available.

Stars will be issued to qualified members, in person, at the Personnel Division, Administrative Section, 3510 South Michigan, Room 2020 during normal business hours.

There are many rumors going around regarding the procedures for receiving the stars. They are rumors; the only way you will receive a disability star is to appear in person at the Personnel Division, as stated above. Please disregard any other information you may read on the internet regarding the disability stars.

The initial issue period will extend from the present through September 27, 2004. From September 28, 2004 through December 3, 2004, these stars will only be available on select days. Members seeking issuance of these stars from September 28, 2004 through December 3, 2004 are urged to phone the Personnel Division prior to reporting. After December 3, 2004, the stars will be available on all regular business days.

If a disabled officer needs a handicapped parking space, he/she needs to call the Personnel Division, Administrative Services at 312-745-5300 the day before they would like to pick up their star. They may ask whoever answers the telephone, in that department, to notify the officer in the CPD parking booth of the time they expect to arrive at headquarters. This will make parking much easier for disabled officers.

The star encasements, hopefully, will be available to disabled officers at the beginning of January 2005. The Personnel Division, Administrative Section will mail order forms to disabled officers once they have completed all of the active officers star encasement requests. If the disabled officer is unable to pick up his encased star when ready, the officer may have his encased star mailed for a fee. The officer may also have someone pick up the encased star if he/she signs the proper forms from the Personnel Division, Administrative Section.

The Lodge would like to congratulate the Disability Committee for the work they did in securing this benefit for our disabled officers. Also, the Lodge would like to thank the committee for providing all of the most current, accurate, and reliable information available. If any of this information changes, you will read it here.

Additional thanks go out to Superintendent Cline for his assistance in implementing the Star distribution program.