Aurora's Exchange Club Names Christopher Cox Police Officer Of The Year

Aurora, IL - The Aurora police officer who tackled an armed man while off duty is the Aurora Exchange Club's Police Officer of the Year.

Officer Christopher Cox, a 10-year Aurora Police veteran, is this year's recipient of the award. Last month, Cox chased and confronted an armed suspect who had just stabbed a man inside of an East Side tavern, according to the Aurora Police Department.

On April 12, Cox happened to be at the tavern on the 700 block of Hill Avenue right before midnight when a domestic-violence related stabbing took place. Cox chased the 35-year-old armed Aurora man to the parking lot where he confronted him and tried to get him to drop the knife, according to the police. When the man refused to drop his weapon, Cox took him to the ground and with the help of responding officers, disarmed, handcuffed and arrested the man.

The victim survived the stabbing and the offender was later charged with attempted murder and two counts of aggravated battery.

Three other Aurora police officers were also nominated for the award:

• Investigator Jeff Hahn for spearheading a year-long investigation into an Aurora street gang that resulted in 96 felony charges being lodged against 16 men for assorted drug and weapons offenses.
• Investigator Jennifer Hillgoth for her humanitarian efforts setting up a ‘Christmas in July’ for sick children at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and for initiating the Special Needs Aurora Police Program (SNAPP) which is designed to improve emergency response to residents with physical and psychological challenges.
• Evidence Technician Investigator Alvin Soto, who, while off-duty, came to the aid of a man who was being attacked.

Since 1963, the Exchange Club of Aurora has named a Police Officer of the Year.

Photo via City of Aurora