Young people in the United States are looking for role models inthe wrong places, Evanston Police Department Chief Frank Kaminskisaid at a police appreciation ceremony Thursday.

“We look on the baseball diamond, we look on the basketballcourts,” Kaminski said. “The men and women of our police departmentare our real heroes.”

Kaminski as well as about 60 police officers, city officials,clergy and community members paid tribute to police Thursday in theannual Celebration of Service and Memorial. The ceremony, whichculminated the celebration of Police Appreciation Month, honoredpolice officers for their service to the community.

Mayor Lorraine H. Morton also presented police officers with acertificate of her appreciation, citing EPD’s commitment toeducation.

“They’ve learned a lot in order to do their job effectively,”Morton said. “We as a community benefit from all of the trainingthey’ve had.”

Morton said she appreciates everything police officers do, frommaking arrests to community service. She told a story of a policeofficer helping her up to her bedroom after she had come home withan injured leg.

“The police officer said, ‘I’ve been in the mayor’s bedroom,'”Morton joked.

But police work can often be dangerous, said Rabbi Dov HillelKlein of the Tannenbaum Chabad House. Klein, who serves as achaplain for EPD, paid tribute to the 134 police officers killednationwide over the past year.

“They put their lives in danger each and every day, ” Klein said.”We know that a simple road stop could be fatal. Just by wearingthis uniform, I have been told, is a target.”

University Police Chief Saul Chafin, who is retiring at the endof June, thanked EPD for its cooperation during his 7-yeartenure.

“It made it comfortable for my officers,” Chafin said. “I willmiss Evanston.”