Chicago Police Cmdr. John Kupczyk suffered heart attack off-duty

• Reprints

Chicago Lawn District police Cmdr. John Kupczyk, a 28-year-veteran of the Chicago Police Department, died Saturday January 21, 2012 after suffering a heart attack while off-duty.

Updated: February 25, 2012 8:12AM

A Southwest Side police commander who enjoyed the respect of those who worked under him, as well as a reputation as “a policeman’s policeman” died Saturday night, the Chicago Police Department said.

Chicago Lawn District police Cmdr. John Kupczyk, a 28-year veteran of the city’s police department, died after suffering a heart attack while off-duty, said Police Supt. Garry F. McCarthy. He was 54.

“Commander Kupczyk … exemplified excellent leadership and the utmost professionalism while working each and every day to preserve the safety and well-being of the communities in which he served,” McCarthy said in the statement.

“As a department, we mourn Commander Kupczyk’s death and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.”

Fraternal Order of Police spokesman Pat Camden said: “He was an outstanding commander.

“On behalf of the FOP our condolences go out to his family,” as well as his police family, Camden said.

Those who worked under his command “spoke highly of him,” Camden said. In his own dealings with Mr. Kupczyk, Camden, who is a former officer and CPD spokesman, said, “he was an outstanding guy. He treated everybody the way he wanted to be treated.”

Mr. Kupczyk had previously worked as commanding officer of vice enforcement for the Chicago Police Department, as well as a captain in the West Side Harrison District.

“I worked for him for under three years,” said Chicago Police Sgt. Tom Donegan. “He’s one of the best bosses I ever came across in the police department.”

“He was a great guy to work for,” Donegan said. “He had one of the toughest commanding jobs — a 24-square-mile district with 250,000 people. He was running a district the size of some police departments.”

A couple years ago, when crime statistics showed his Southwest Side district to be one of the most crime-ridden ones in the city, Mr. Kupczyk called on residents to be the “eyes and ears” of police and make their homes and neighborhoods tough targets for criminals. “Some neighborhoods have been quiet a long time,” he told the Sun-Times in 2009. “Maybe your doors aren’t bolted as well as they should be. People need to make the target tough . . . and heighten awareness.”

Camden observed, “it’s very difficult for someone in the command position who comes up through the ranks” to enjoy the respect and admiration that Mr. Kupczyk did, but he had that reputation “from Day One,” Camden said. “He was a standup guy.

“The best thing that can be said about a policeman is, he was a policeman’s policeman,” said Camden about Mr. Kupczyk.

The Kupczyk family said in a statement that they thanked “everyone for their condolences and prayers during this difficult time. John was a loving father, husband and brother. John was a proud member of the Chicago Police Department family and dedicated his career to serving the community he loved, as well as protecting the city of Chicago. He will be greatly missed.”

Funeral arrangements were not immediately known.

Contributing: Frank Main