P.O. Robert Wenzel #7495

BOB WENZEL was in my major 10:30 traffic court room, room 8 if I recall correctly, at 321 South La Salle. On occasion I sat next to him and we talked in that first row where the officers sat. At the time I had less that three years on the job. I watched and listened as the veteran officer testified in DUI cases. His testimony was an inspiration to me, it was accurate and to the point. Then he would match wits with the defense attorney for a few minutes and ultimately the case was continued to the next date in the Key of F. One day that white traffic hat was gone. On January 19, 1973, at approximately 5:25 AM, Traffic Officer Robert F. Wenzel - Unit 151 - Traffic Enforcement - had been shot four times and killed while conducting a stop on Lake Shore Drive, near Lincoln Park. It was the era of one man cars, and that quickly changed after his death. His assailant, Richard Luckey was found guilty and sentenced to 75 to 100 years in the Illinois State Penitentiary. I am sure that over the years, Luckey, came up for parole, because he was left a paraplegic as the result of being shot during the incident. At the parole hearings, we as retired police officers, need to appear in support of our police family and the officer's family. Please follow this retiree web site for information on future parole hearings, and maybe we can appear as a group instead of, or in addition to, one of our many monthly luncheons/meetings. Bob Wenzel, like so many other of our fallen officers, never saw children graduate, never saw them get married, never enjoyed grandchildren, and never grew old with a loved one. Today he would have been 74 years old and enjoying retirement. As a result of rejected parole hearings, Richard Luckey spent 38 years in the Illinois State Penitentiary where he recently died. Rest in Peace, Bob. Justice has been served. Your family and extended family misses you. We Will Never Forget! - Bob Graeber, Retired