25-Year Veteran Of Chicago Heights Police Department Dies

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, IL — The City of Chicago Heights Mayor David Gonzalez and Police Chief Thomas Rogers announced on Friday that officer Gary Hibbs, a 25-year veteran of the Chicago Heights Police Department died after a medical emergency occurred on the job.

According to a news release, on March 4, around 1:52 p.m., officer Hibbs was answering a disturbance call of two people fighting inside a third-floor apartment on 14th Place in Chicago Heights. When Hibbs attempted to arrest one of those involved in the altercation, he fell to the ground, unconscious and required immediate medical assistance, the release states.

Hibbs was taken to the ICU at Franciscan Hospital in Olympia Fields for life-saving treatment, and in the early hours of Friday morning, Hibbs died at the hospital, the release states.

The CHPD and Gonzalez ask for thoughts and prayers for Hibbs, along with his son Jimmy Hibbs who is also a CHPD officer, and the rest of his family.

“Officer Hibbs committed his professional life to Chicago Heights and protecting its citizens and inspiring others to serve our community, including his son, Jimmy, who became a Chicago Heights police officer more than five years ago,” Mayor Gonzalez said. “Officer Hibbs’ passing is a grievous loss to both his family and to our city, and my heartfelt condolences are with his family at this moment.”

In addition to Jimmy, the police department is sending its condolences to Esther Barker, Hibbs' daughter, who had a very close relationship with her father. The department said Hibbs was a proud grandfather of her child as well.

“The Chicago Heights Police Department has suffered an irreplaceable loss in Officer Hibbs’ passing,” Chief Rogers said. “Officer Hibbs set the gold standard both as a police professional and as a friend to us all in the department. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.”