P.O. Frank T. Balzano #10528

Officer Frank Balzano was killed while moonlighting at a shopping mall. Officer Belzano fell during an altercation with several suspects, striking his head. He died of his injuries the next day.

A 17-year-old female and a 16-year-old male were arrested and charged with murder. The 16-year-old was charged as an adult.

Officer Balzano had served with the agency for 39 years and was planning on retiring in six weeks. He was survived by his wife, daughter, three sons, and grandson.

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November 16, 1997|By Steven J. Stark, Tribune Staff Writer.Chicago Police Office Frank T.

Balzano was ready to have some fun. He had just bought a house in Carroll County in far northwest Illinois, plus a motorboat and a pontoon boat. After 39 years on the police force, the 65-year-old officer looked forward to a retirement next year that would include fishing and traveling with his wife, Jean. But he will never get that chance. The veteran officer and canine handler died Thursday following an altercation with a teenager in Norridge. Mr. Balzano had arrested a teenage girl for allegedly lunging at security officers when she called out to her boyfriend for help. The boyfriend allegedly knocked Mr. Balzano to th ground where he sustained a head injury. Mr. Balzano, who lived on the city's Northwest side, was working his part-time job as a security guard at the Harlem-Irving Plaza mall at the time, officials said. Mr. Balzano had received 43 commendations in his police career. He worked most of his career in the department's canine unit. Since 1991, he had worked with the O'Hare International Airport canine bomb unit, along with his partner, Max, a yellow Labrador retriever, said his supervisor, Sgt. Curtis Blanc. "Frank was just dedicated to his job," Blanc said. "He loved the job, he loved the people at the airport, he loved his dog." Blanc said Mr. Balzano was great with children and had Max perform tricks for schoolchildren during field trips to the airport. Jean Balzano said her husband looked forward to catching a big fish once he retired. "He fished and fished but never caught that big one," she said. Mr. Balzano and Max checked out suspicious packages and unattended luggage during his stint at the airport, but never found an explosive device, Blanc said. Officer Gary Gozdecki, a fellow airport canine officer, said Mr. Balzano was an experienced canine handler. Max, who was also the Balzano family pet, will likely remain with the family, Mrs. Balzano said. Max will be front and center at his partner's funeral. "They worshiped each other," Mrs. Balzano said. Mr. Balzano was an Army veteran of the Korean War and a member of the Shriners Medinah Temple and Black Horse Troop. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his mother, Louise Nelson; two sons, Frank Jr. and Dan; a daughter, Cathy Zak; three grandchildren; two brothers; and a sister.
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In, 2000 The offenders were sentenced for their crimes during the altercation with Officer Balzano. They pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter. The male offender was sentenced to 4 years in prison and the female offender was sentenced to 3 years of probation, including 1 year of intense anger management.