RIP Officer Crowley
Crippled by a DUI driver when he was merely twenty-two, he spent the vast majority of his life in a wheelchair, unable to care for himself at all:
Former Chicago Police Officer Jim Crowley, who suffered traumatic brain injuries at the age of 22 when a drunken driver hit the squad car he was riding in, has died. He was 59.
He died Aug. 22 as a result of the injuries he suffered in 1987, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation said. Mr. Crowley had been living in a group home in San Marcos, Texas, where he had been receiving specialized care.
Since the accident — which killed fellow police Officer William Morrison — Mr. Crowley used a wheelchair and needed help with every aspect of his life.
In 1987, we were....well, we were a helluva lot younger than we are today, still a few years away from joining the CPD, and Officer Crowley had already lost any chance of completing a career with the CPD.
Hopefully now he is at peace. Prayers for his family.
Labels: officer down
posted by SCC at 12:04 AM
40 Comments:
RIP Officer...
100 Sergeants and 25 Lts this month
For all those that hate on POs that do DUIs.. this is a perfect example why we do them... and even a better example of why you as a PO should know how to do them, even if you don't like doing them due to its complex nature.. even though it's not really any more complex then most other arrests.
Many years ago my fto told me about it . He said the whole thing was a darn shame. He said a sergeant named Cash was driving and was responsible for the crash. He said Morrison was seated at the point of contact. Do not know where it occurred or if my fto, a pretty sharp guy, had the correct information. RIP Officers William Morrison and James Crowley.
As a current retiree who spent 27 years on the CPD, I was proud to always be a top cop when it came to DUI enforcement. Yes, I did more than DUI's but this tragic incident shows how important DUI enforcement is. This young officer became a parapalegic for most of his life and his partner lost his life to a DUI offender. This is just one incident of thousands over the years where a DUI offender caused life altering decisions. It is a shame very few officers will even arrest a DUI offender but for the few officers on each watch that do, keep up the good work. Your outstanding work does not go unnoticed.
Sending prayers and tears. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Heartbreaking....R.I.P. Officer Crowley
The Officer is with the Lord Almighty. His Hell/Purgatory was his suffering on earth.
Finally, he is at rest.
i remember this they were working special at CHA sgt tasch was driving them to lunch. the city initially refused IOD LOD becuase they were working for the CHA Tasch's daddy was an a hole inspector. It was the sgt's fault ran a red light.was a big mess. thats why now for special you have to sign the waiver.
Eternal Memory - May God rest his soul.
Rest now in peace our brother Jimmy, free of suffering and pain.
May our good God now invite you into His Kingdom to serve again alongside 601 recognized members of... "Chicago's Finest."
RIP Brother Godspeed
The driver was Sgt. Paul TASH Jr. His father was the infamous boss Paul Tash Sr., one of the biggest Assholes on the job! They were working "Special Employment" when they responded to a "man with a gun call!" Tash was driving driving W/B on 15th St. at Ashland, blew the Stop Sign & was broadsided by the DUI offender! All for a gun arrest!
At Cook County Hospital, Senior allegedly told Mrs. Morrison that her husband should have been wearing a seat belt , like his son did!
Anonymous
RIP Brother.
- - Don't forget, that piece of SHIT future CAPTAIN Paul Tasch was a sergeant at the time. He was driving the dilapidated special employment squad way too unsafe and fast.
May he and his father (also a JAG OFF Captain) burn in hell. They were both well hated by all coppers.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/09/05/police-officer-killed-5-others-hurt-in-2-car-collision/
Rest in Heaven
Stash
What happened to the Drunk driver? How many years did he or she serve? How many it was not enough!
Would have been a lot more intelligent if you put your information on any other post. Just saying!
There was also a third officer severely injured in the crash, his leg was shattered and his career was ended. But that was not the end of the story. These officers were working their day off special employment doing foot patrol in the Western Ave. projects in the 013 District. They were called to a meet by their supervising sergeant and were being transported by him to investigate a report of a person with a gun when the crash occurred. It was later reported that the city notified the grieving widow and the injured officers that this incident, death and injuries were not considered line of duty and would not be covered by the City of Chicago. Apparently, their pay for this assignment was coming from a federal grant and that they were in fact working for the Federal Government that day. There was incredible outrage and law suits to follow. There must be documentation of all of this if anyone wishes to follow up.
The driver was named Tash. His daddy was a Deputy Superintendent. I remember the incident well. Reports were that Sgt. Tash was driving erratically on a man with a gun call.
It was Sgt. Tash
If I recall right there was three officers stuffed in to the rear seat and the serious injuries were caused by their heads banging together and some boss beefing as to why they were riding 5 deep.
there is no such thing as Purgatory. It is impossible to pray your dead family members into heaven.
May God bless this fallen hero and all who loved him.
He worked in the Second District with me. He was twenty years old in the Academy, twenty one by the time he was academy trained. He made his probation and started working special soon after. Back then anyone could work special regardless of seniority to get days OT. People on the watch said he was returning to duty but when they rolled him into the station in his wheelchair I knew he wasn't ever going to return. The city gave him his year on the medical and promptly rescinded his benefits after a year. Crowley's family had to sue to get him medical benefits. I retired in 2018 and realized how lucky I was to have crossed the finish line. And so will you when you get here. I asked a retired bud of mine who had just retired how he was doing, he replied he hadn't had a bad day yet. He said how many times has your day gone to shit as soon as you set foot in that station. I've had many days like that. Take care of yourselves and each other. There's light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully for Jimmy Crowley. God bless all. Good luck..
God Bless You, and Officer Crowley
They are protecting you and your families more than you will ever know
The Inside Scoop Says:
Yes, reckless, stupid Supervisors abound on the CPD. They will get you killed , hurt or seriously injured thru their incompetence. But it only matters to the CPD that they take care of these Clouted Imbeciles, upon orders from their crooked Politician Puppet Masters,because that’s all it’s about in the CPD. Rest in Peace, Jimmy.
What was the end result? Was he covered and did the city pay
I was told it was JUNIOR Tasch that was driving like an A HOLE. BTW I wasn’t the author of Stalag 017. I just found out that you had an internal affairs beef on me because your feelings were hurt. Go fuck yourself JUNIOR
rip brother
paul tash was later promoted to captain and like his father was one of the biggest a-holes on the job he later became police chief of morton grove did not last long they hated there too.
I believe Mrs Morrison received her duty death benefits only after she went to court
From an old time retiree---Several points need to be clarified---first and foremost, may Almighty God give peace and closure to the families of Officers Crowley, Morrison, and the third injured Officer whose name I sadly never learned. Additionally: the incident occurred in 012, (not 013). and it is true that Sgt. Paul Tasch was apparently driving the squad car. I was an Academy classmate of his, but we had little interaction afterward. He was widely criticized in the immediate aftermath, and even had "cop killer" graffiti written in one District's bathroom. I wonder how many of the critics were actually on the scene. I spent the first 5 years of my career in 012, and 15th/Ashland E/B is one of the most dangerous intersections in the city. It is impossible to see N/B Ashland traffic in the viaduct while driving E/B on W.15th St., and many of the drivers came flying through, sober or otherwise. I wrote many Traffic Accident reports there and almost got hit myself a few times. Apparently, none of the personnel involved were from 012 themselves, and were thus unfamiliar with this hazard. And we have all gotten tunnel vision going to an in progress call. I answered many of them in the ABLA Homes projects near where the fateful 1987 crash took place. The DUI driver who hit them was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to 3 years in prison for Negligent Homicide. I have yet to hear anyone come forward to complain that he was wrongfully convicted. It comes down to the old story that everyone who wasn't there is the big expert. I have always considered this to be case of everything that could go wrong, did. It is a place where we have all been with far less serious consequences, and that is just a matter of luck. It should be noted also that the widow of Officer Morrison once told an interviewer that she had been promised many things by Department brass that night which they never followed up on. It took several years for all benefits, recognition, and compensation to be approved. I filed a successful grievance for an IOD approval myself at the same time, and everything had to be approved by Ald. Burke's Finance Committee which is where many Police benefits went to die. Ask me how sorry I feel for him now. I do hope Paul Tasch is doing well, because he has to live with the outcome that every real Chicago Police Officer knows he didn't want. We were in Academy training together, and I am positive of that much. Finally, thanks to all active Officers currently keeping me and my family/community safe. You are valued, respected, and prayed for every day.
I disagree with the comment that Paul Jr. was hated. He wasn’t a bad guy. Not very outgoing and by the book but certainly not hated. He was the only Captain there that actually did the 30 minutes out in the field as Captains were supposed to do back then. I never viewed him as my friend nor a guy that would back me up if the shit hit the fan but I never saw him fuck anyone or go out of his way to screw someone over. If you did anything remotely close to your job he usually left you alone. There were a lot worse bosses than him there. Just sayin.
Rest In Peace Sir. God Speed.
i agree with you that he wasnt your friend if you did not have clout paul was a "gots you guy" just waiting for you to make a monor mistake even if you were a working police officer
it was tasch paul tasch junior
It's Jim Crowley's sister, Beth Carter, and I would like to clear up any confusion. Paul Tasch Jr. was a complete jagoff and so was his father. In the aftermath of this horrific tragedy, I can tell you that we NEVER received a card, call or smoke signal from that jagoff Tasch Jr....so for anyone here that is saying "he was a nice guy"...well we clearly have different ideas of what constitutes a good guy. What kind of person doesn't reach out at some point over 37 years to ask about the guy who was riding in the car he was driving? I had to sue the city before they classified it as IOD...I would need a case of beer and a full weekend to unload all the shit I have encountered over 37 years; they would have happily steamrolled over me and left Jim out to dry had I not been completely committed to making sure Jim had what he needed. Jim was such an amazing human, never ever asked "why me" and his death came as a total shock. Jim loved being a CPD officer; he was only 22 and his entire life was changed. Remember him not as that "poor guy" but as a guy who didn't let his circumstances define him and never, ever felt sorry for himself....my brother lived his entire life with honor, courage and grace and my life will never be the same without him in it. God bless and be safe.
Post a Comment
<< Home