Forest Park Review Bob Dowd Dead at 30
Nicholas Kozak, a veteran officeholder with the Forest Park Police Department, died over the weekend at his home in DuPage County, according to the department's top two lawmen.
Kozak contracted COVID-19 in the days before his death, according to the department. Per police reports, Kozak was on duty as recently equally Sunday, Nov. 21. Chief of Police Ken Gross said he believed Kozak informed him of a positive test result the following day.
News of Kozak's death has hit the relatively small 38-person department difficult.
"I loved him equally a person and a coworker," Gross said. "And I'll exit information technology at that."
"The entire village is grieving the loss of Nick Kozak," Mayor Rory Hoskins said. "He was a remarkable individual and an exceptional police officeholder."
Kozak began working full fourth dimension for the Wood Park Police Section in July 2002, and he served as a training officer for many years, according to Deputy Master of Constabulary Chris Chin, which meant he interacted with nearly every member of the section during his tenure. Chin said he and others were informed of Kozak's expiry on Nov. 27.
"Saturday was rough," Mentum said. "Everybody'due south a petty dissimilar on how they handle grief and how shut they are with him."
Kozak'south passing also spurred several heartfelt remembrances on social media, including from some who claimed to know Kozak from his time in the U.S. war machine. Co-ordinate to a biography posted on the website for Triumph Systems (triumph-systems.com), a company that sells products for target training, Kozak served in the U.S. Army and Illinois National Guard, where he served in the National Guard Special Forces Group. Kozak is listed every bit a fellow member of the Pro Staff at Triumph Systems.
Closer to habitation, Forest Park Firefighters Local 2753 posted a remembrance of Kozak on its Instagram folio on November. 29.
"Officeholder Nick Kozak was one of the toughest, funniest, and loving guy[s] you would ever meet. He was a all-time friend to everyone in our local and the village of Woods Park. Nick (uncle Nick) was truly always there when whatsoever i of us needed him," the post says.
Patrick O'Brien, who owns two Forest Park restaurants, including Lathrop Firm Café, reacted to Kozak's expiry on Facebook Monday morning.
"I've known Officeholder Nick for years but only truly got to know Nick the human being, blood brother, leader, joke teller, protector and much more than this past twelvemonth," O'Brien wrote. "Nick stopped by Lathrop Café daily, oft times more than than in one case, yes for coffee and a light seize with teeth, but to bank check on united states of america, express joy [with] us, conversation [with] my dad, my kids, my staff. What a great dude, not fair!!!"
Gross and Chin confirmed Kozak tested positive COVID-xix but cautioned that his cause of death had non nevertheless been fabricated public. Multiple requests for additional information from the DuPage County Coroner's Office went unanswered.
Woods Park does not have a specific set of locally crafted COVID-19 mitigation rules, but Village Administrator Moses Amidei said the village's policy "is following land guidelines."
"Nosotros don't have our ain health section, similar some towns do," Amidei said. "We're relying on our state and national partners to take the lead on that."
Electric current country guidelines include a mask mandate in all indoor spaces and public health officials continue to enthusiastically recommend one of the canonical COVID- 19 vaccines for all Americans age 5 and older.
It is unclear whether Kozak was vaccinated. Forest Park does non accept a vaccine requirement for its public employees, including at the police department.
Per department policy, Kozak's young man officers were informed when the positive test was received and were advised to take boosted precautions, including to sanitize their patrol cars and monitor for symptoms.
Anyone who tests positive for COVID-nineteen in the police force department is required to stay home for 10 days merely can return to piece of work at that indicate provided they are not symptomatic. A negative test is not required for a return to piece of work, Gross said.
Village Clerk Vanessa Moritz said the village does not continue track of when employees contract COVID-19, then it is unclear how many officers have tested positive for the virus or if other officers are currently infected.
Chin said Kozak's death, if information technology is determined to have been acquired by COVID-xix, would be the department's beginning fatality from the virus.
"That'southward why it's such a huge shock that Nick died," Chin said. "He was an officer and a friend. He'due south the outset 1, for me personally, that passed abroad."
Source: https://www.forestparkreview.com/2021/12/01/forest-park-police-officer-dies-at-home/
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