In Mount Greenwood, Support For Chicago Police Remains Strong
CHICAGO (CBS) -- What is it like to be the loved one of a Chicago police officer following the release of the Laquan McDonald tape? CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot spoke to an officer's wife and has this report.
In Mount Greenwood, a community many Chicago police officers call home, blue ribbons adorn trees, supporting the police. Marnie Coyne, the wife of an 18-year veteran of the department, knows just how much that support means especially after the release of the Laquan McDonald video.
'It's very stressful," Coyne said. "I worry about my husband going out every day, coming home. Is he going to be assaulted? Is he going to be shot at? He could just be sitting in a squad car and he may be ambushed."
She says, "You used to be proud to walk around with a Chicago Police star on your chest. Now, people tell everybody, don't become a cop in Chicago."
Coyne is not only an officer's wife, but a board member of the Peace Officers Memorial Foundation of Cook County. She says she understands the recent protests surrounding the release of the McDonald tape. At the same time she says, "Everybody doesn't want to be judged because of a small few, but when it becomes our police officers, it's a totally different story."
Allison Kochert co-owns Marie's Cafe and Catering in Mount Greenwood. Kochert says many of her customers are police officers.
"We have officers that check on us every day so it makes me feel good," she said. "Especially there's nights when I have young girls here and it makes me feel safer that they're in our business a lot and just on the streets."
Kochert says the actions of the officers seen in recently released videos don't represent the whole department.
"That's not even one percent of the Chicago Police Department," she said.
Meantime, Coyne says she wants the public to remember her husband and other officers on the force, risk their lives each day to serve and protect. It's an oath, she says, they don't take lightly.
