Crime Commission Honors Officers For Outstanding Work

CHICAGO (CBS) -- City, suburban and federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors are being recognized tonight for the outstanding work they have done in solving murders and reducing the number of gang members, guns and drugs on the street.

As WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports, among those being honored at the Chicago Crime Commission Stars of Distinction dinner was Wheaton police detectives Edward Fanning and Andrew Uhlir, and DuPage County Assistant State's Attorney Robert Guerrieri.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports

They reopened the 1976 murder case of Darlene Stack, 28, and used DNA technology to bring charges against Robert Whitney, 58, who was already serving a 60-year prison sentence for another murder.

Whitney pleaded guilty in September to killing Stack and was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. He had been scheduled for parole in October of next year.

"They recognized that someone had died, and they recognized that this case is never really over, and they wanted to bring closure to the family," said Crime Commission deputy director Jody Weis.

Weis says the Crime Commission awards also recognize how federal, state and local police work together to put the bad guys away.

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• Bernie Tafoya
• Jody Weis
• Chicago Crime Commission