Alice Adeszko may be a part-time officer in Moraine Valley’s Police Department, but she has a full-time commitment to her job, which is why her supervisor nominated her for the Part-time Employee Award.
“To be a good police officer requires having the right motivation, a high ethical standard and mental resilience, and a belief in our fellow citizens. Being a good campus police officer requires all of these and more,” her nominator said. “We serve a unique environment, which requires a different approach to public safety. There are many good police officers but not all would be capable of transitioning to the college environment. In my opinion, Officer Adeszko is one of the best.”
Adeszko always has been a problem-solver with an ability to think outside the box. So when she was deciding on a career, friends suggested she consider becoming a police officer.
“I came here and took a basic class. I fell in love with it,” she said.
Adeszko earned an A.A.S. degree in criminal justice at Moraine Valley and began her law enforcement career here as a community service officer. She went through Evergreen Park’s police academy and briefly worked in a municipal department before returning to Moraine Valley as an officer in 2009, where she has remained.
“In a municipality, you don’t get day-to-day contact with everybody. Overall, you’re bouncing from call to call. Whereas here, you get to have conversations and make connections with people on a regular basis, so you feel more connected,” Adeszko said.
Many of the calls she and her colleagues handle are service calls, such as someone locking their keys in their car or needing to have a building unlocked. However, some calls are more serious.
“Usually when there’s a call like a car crash or a theft, it’s going to require us to go to the station to review surveillance footage and try to figure out who did what,” Adeszko said. “What I love most about my job is the ever-changing unknown of what the shift will bring. Some days, you barely get your radio on as the calls start coming in about a fire alarm and someone having a seizure. Other days, you may catch up on viewing video surveillance and conduct follow-ups from previous reports. We typically see people at their worst and try to help make their day end a little better than how it started.”
Adeszko appreciates the college supporting ongoing training for its officers. In addition to regular handgun and active shooter training, she recently attended homicide investigator and death investigation classes and instruction on
de-escalation and smarter policing, sexual assault investigation, immersive forensic genetic genealogy and foundational defensive tactics.
“Ninety percent of our job is pretty standard, but when the other 10% happens, this training plays a major role in the outcome,” she noted.
Her nominator praised Adeszko for her willingness to expand her duties when opportunities arise.
“This past year, the department was required to find officers who would volunteer to participate in two investigative task forces. Alice immediately stepped up. She serves on the Major Case Unit and has helped with surveillance operations assisting our neighboring communities and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. She also volunteered for the Major Crimes Task Force, which assists participating communities in the aftermath of a serious violent crime,” he said.
He also shared that Adeszko has helped with children fingerprinting programs and presented at crime prevention events. Further, he said, “When Alice learned of the Safe Zone Program, she volunteered on the spot. I believe this is a demonstration of her character, believing everyone should be treated in a fair, equitable and respectful manner.”
When she first received congratulatory texts about the award, Adeszko thought her colleagues were pranking her.
“I didn’t believe it at first, because we like to play jokes on each other in the department,” she quipped. When she learned it was true, she was appreciative of the recognition. “It is a heartfelt emotion to think somebody thought to nominate you while you’re just doing what you love.”