Forest Park police and first-responders pulled an 180,000-pound plane across the finish line at O’Hare International Airport on Sept. 22, coming in fifth out of 29 teams in their division. Proceeds from the event benefitted Special Olympics Illinois, an advocacy organization that supports individuals with disabilities.
“It was a blast. We teamed up with the Berwyn PD and helped each other pull,” Detective Mike O’Connor said in an email. O’Connor also serves as the village’s crime-free multi-housing officer.
Officers dragged a UPS Airbus A300 down 12 feet of runway in 9.68 seconds. More importantly, however, they raised $1,397 for Special Olympics Illinois through the event; the number does not reflect how much police have received in offline donations, which they are still counting.
Officer Scott Frey said police have raised more than $6,100 for Special Olympics Illinois so far this year, through events like the Torch Run, Cop on a Rooftop, and Polar Plunge.
“Not bad,” he said in an email.
Tax-deductible donations can be made to the Forest Park team at illinoisplanepull.com.
Nona Tepper
