This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own. Looking west along Route 30 Saturday morning, police cars lined up as far as the eyes can

see. They had one intention in mind, to honor a hero. Police officer Gary Hibbs from Chicago Heights was being remembered by hundreds who loved him and served with him. Officer Hibbs passed

away on March 12th, eight days after suffering a heart attack on a domestic call. “He always had an aura about him, where he was always calm” said Chicago Heights Police Chief, Tommy

Rogers. Both were hired at the Chicago Heights police department the same year. “We ended up on the same shift together” begins Chief Rogers. “Gary and I worked together in a two-man car.

time firefighter. Gary was the lead rangemaster and firearms instructor for the Chicago Heights police department. All officers have to qualify each year. “He trained all new officers as

well on how to use their tasers and new weapons. Gary has been on the range since 1999” explains Chief Rogers. “The next big passion for Gary was joining the SSERT team, which is the South

Suburban Emergency Response Team” adds the chief. Officer Hibbs was on the south suburban SWAT team from 2002-20017. “He was on that team for so long, he became a team operator, a team

leader, a SWAT school instructor and a range instructor for SSERT. He wore many hats” adds Chief Rogers. FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ORLAND PARKFOR FREE WITH THE LATEST UPDATES FROM

PATCH. One hat Gary Hibbs loved to put on was a Santa hat. “The one thing that stands out with Gary has nothing to do with police work” said Chief Rogers. “It is, what he did for the

community. Gary was the best Santa, every single year” adds Chief Rogers. Officer Hibbs began playing Santa not only for his friends, family and fellow police officers family, he became

Santa for the city of Chicago Heights. “Outside of being a policeman and he loved being a policeman, what warmed his heart is for him to dress as Santa and do that for the kids” smiles Chief

Rogers. “He was always giving back and making people smile. I’ve never heard Gary Hibbs tell anyone no. He was the real-life Santa Claus.” A running joke with all his police co-workers was

his love of food and how much of it he consumed. “We would love to harass him and tell him to get out of the break room because you’re eating too much in there” smiles Chief Rogers. “We

would also joke and tell him to get the jelly donut off his vest or the pizza sauce on his chin. He would always laugh, that’s who Gary was. He was the father figure to all the police

officers and they leaned on him because he was experienced” added Chief Rogers. Officer Hibbs is survived by two children, Jimmy and Esther. Five years ago, after serving in the Army Jimmy

Hibbs became a Chicago Heights police officer, just like his father. “His life was fully involved in police work” said Jimmy. “He wasn’t just a police officer, he was a father, and uncle and

a grandfather. Most of all he was a true hero” added Jimmy. Growing up Jimmy wanted to be a police officer just like his dad. “He started grooming me to be a police officer in 1996” said

Jimmy. “We had a special bond whether it was going to the shooting range, discussing tactics or hanging out with the guys, showing the close-knit community that law enforcement officers have

with each other. It is truly a second family” added Jimmy. Gary Hibbs was more than a Chicago Heights police officer. He was also involved in the South Suburban Emergency Response Team and

a weapons training officer. Being involved in police work throughout the south suburbs, there has been a huge outpouring of support from various agencies. This was evident at Officer Gibbs

funeral where over 120 police cars showed up just to escort Officer Gibbs body. “He didn’t just touch the people around him” said Jimmy. “His wingspan was far and wide, his name and legacy

will not only live on locally but will live on across the United States” he added. Helping to carry his best friend to his final resting place was Mark Millon. A Chicago Heights police

officer (now retired) Millon met Gary Hibbs met at what was called The Gym in the Heights when he was seventeen years old. “A lot of police officers trained there” begins Millon. “Gary was

always there” said Millon. Partners and friends, they had a close bond that couldn’t be broken. “He was a brother that I never had” explains Millon. Recalling one story, Millon explains

Gary’s food habits. “If you know Gary, you know he liked to eat” Millon begins. “On Sunday mornings, we would get together and get our doughnuts. Gary did not like coconut doughnuts. One

time I bought a coconut doughnut, he took it out my hand and threw it on the roof.” Millon said Officer Hibbs taught him never to be in a rush and never cut corners. “Gary loved to talk and

loved the camaraderie of being with other police officers” Millon said. “He always paid attention to detail and loved the people he worked with. I will miss all the laughs and adventures we

went through. He was always there for me” he added “When he gave you that embrace, you knew how much he was invested into that relationship.” Gary and Mark were also neighbors. They both

share the love of community. “During Thanksgiving, me, Gary, Chief Rogers and Mayor Gonzalez would give baskets of food and deliver them every year” explains Millon. “No matter what he

always did for anyone. The last communication, Millon sent his best friend a text of a monkey holding a banana (because of his love for food). “He had the nickname Magilla Gorilla, so he got

that tattooed on his arm.” “Carrying my friend is the most honored thing I’ve ever done” Millon said. “To be able to say good-bye to him, we’re the closest ones to him bringing him to his

final resting place. Gary is looking down on us and I know he is proud of us.” Millon and seven other best friends of Officer Hibbs carried his body to a Bearcat vehicle. It was where

Officer Hibbs felt most comfortable as he served on the SSERT team. The Chicago Heights police department is still mourning the loss of own of their own brother “This has been overwhelming

for my police officers, my command staff, my civilian staff” Chief Rogers explains. “This is not a two-year veteran. This is a 25-year veteran that has served with dispatchers, that have

built relationships with Gary. It’s a tragedy. The more an officer is here, he touches the hearts” he added. What can the community do to help heal the police department? “Make or send

simple cards” said Chief Rogers. “Just a note saying we love you, we thank you. Just a simple thank you for what you do, makes us happy. When we get cards from a classroom, paper made thank

you cards it makes our day. Every time a classroom does that, I make sure those cards get put up on the wall so our officers can see that. We’re a special breed of people where we always

want to help people, that’s what we do” Chief Rogers added. Chief Rogers has announced he will be retiring Gary’s badge. “Nobody will get Star 102 again.” The views expressed in this post

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