It's personal for John Gordon. Not only does he work for the Chicago police Memorial Foundation, but his family comes here often to remember his brother Michael who was killed in the line of duty nine years ago on this day.
"People understand this is five acres of sacred ground. It means a lot to our families of our fallen. We pay tribute to those officers here," Gordon said.
Gordon and others take it very seriously when the monument is vandalized as it was Friday night by graffiti that appeared to be gang related.
By Saturday morning the park district had already scrubbed it clean, but the damage was done. Police issued an alert looking for suspects.
"Sometimes the families don't go to the incident site, sometimes they don't even go to the cemetery, but they come out here," Gordon said.
There is a bill on Governor Pat Quinn's desk which would increase the penalties for those who deface public monuments for first responders or the military. The governor reportedly plans to sign it.
