On the record with ... McHenry County Courthouse Security Officer Phil Heinrich

Phil Heinrich doesn’t believe in luck.

But he should.

A courthouse security officer assigned to McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather’s courtroom, there was once a time when Heinrich had a near miss with enemy fire in Vietnam.

It was 1969. Heinrich was a 19-year-old kid, approaching a month-long military leave after completing his first tour in Vietnam.

As a gunner with the Aerial Light Squad, his duties, as he explained it, were to hover over tree tops and attract enemy fire.

On that day, the helicopter he was in took about 20 bullets before flying back to base.

But in one near miss, a bullet went through the back of Heinrich’s helmet, exiting out the front.

Heinrich sat down with reporter Chelsea McDougall to tell that story, talk about his career in law enforcement – he worked as a police officer in Crystal Lake for 26 years – and his current role as a McHenry County Courthouse security officer.

McDougall: Tell me about the day you got shot up.

Heinrich: We were on a recon mission in this valley. … Then all of a sudden they [the North Vietnamese] started opening up on us. … I’m throwing this smoke grenade out. I’m returning fire with the M-60 machine gun. I returned some fire, and we were getting hit. We could see bullet holes starting to form in the plastic bubble of the helicopter.

All of a sudden I felt a slap on the back of my head. It knocked the helmet I was wearing over my eyes. I remember first thinking, “What was that?”

McDougall: And what was it?

Heinrich: It was a bullet, but I didn’t know that at the time. So I pushed the helmet back on my head and I’m looking at the pilot and he’s looking at me in disbelief. … He came over the intercom and says, “You’re not going to believe this, but you have a hole through your helmet.”

He says, “Pull your helmet off so I can look and see if you’re bleeding.” All I had was Styrofoam in my hair. A part and some Styrofoam.

McDougall: You’re lucky.

Heinrich: I don’t believe in luck.

McDougall: What do you believe then?

Heinrich: I believe it was the grace of God that kept me from getting whacked.

McDougall: So when you retired in 2007 from Crystal Lake Police Department, you came to work at the courthouse. That’s got to be a change of pace from what you were used to.

Heinrich: They understand the decorum of the court. It’s more sanitized than the street. For the most part, they’re on their best behavior when they’re up here.

McDougall: What are the biggest offenses in the courtroom?

Heinrich: [Laughs] Cellphones and talking. Once in a while, family members get a little emotional. That courtroom, as you know, handles the big trials and a lot of emotions are involved, especially at sentencing and things like that. You have to prepare for those things.

McDougall: And Judge Prather’s courtroom is pretty busy.

Heinrich: Working in that courtroom, I have the utmost respect for Judge Prather and how she conducts her courtroom. It’s been a privilege to work with her through these years.

… I do want to say about court security. Most of these guys that are up here now are retired, seasoned, veteran police officers.

The sheriff has a lot of talent up here. We may be older, we may be slower, but that kind of police experience is invaluable.

Who is he? Courthouse security officer, retired Crystal Lake police officer, Vietnam war veteran.

Age: 64

Hometown: outside Harvard

Family: Wife of 42 years, Cheri; three children, 11 grandchildren

Favorite TV program: “We struggle with the remote between ‘Dancing With The Stars’ and the Military Channel.”

Favorite meal: T-bone steak, medium rare or rare. “Just run a match over it.”