Patrolman Leon T. Czajka

Leon T. Czajka

Patrolman Leon Czajka suffered a fatal cerebral hemorrhage following a foot pursuit of two car thief suspects.

The two men had been pursued by another policeman who had commandeered a taxi cab, but the cab became stuck in traffic and was unable to pursue them further.

The pursuing policeman called Patrolman Czajka, who then took up the chase by commandeering a car at the intersection of Dearborn Street and Monroe Street. Patrolman Czajka began pursuing the suspects on foot when they abandoned their vehicle at Wells Street and apprehended them a few blocks away.

He collapsed as he covered the two suspects with his pistol drawn at the intersection of Market Street (modern-day S. Wacker Drive) and W. Adams Street. The two men attempted to flee the area but were stopped and held by a police department applicant who witnessed Patrolman Czajka collapse.

Patrolman Czajka was a United States Navy WWI veteran and had served with the Chicago Police Department for 18 years. He was survived by his wife.