Riverside police officer is ready for some football

RIVERSIDE – Riverside Police Officer Jim Lazansky is a paid defender of the law during work time, but after hours he defends another line altogether.

Lazansky, 34, is an offensive lineman for the Chicago Police Enforcers, which is one of 20 teams in the National Public Safety Football League. The Enforcers are sponsored by the Chicago Police Department and members are all fully sworn, full-time law enforcement personnel from the Chicago area, as well as federal law enforcement officers working in the Chicago area.

Play on the field begins in March and ends in June, Lazansky said. Last month, he was in San Diego, last week, Cleveland. May 2 is a home game at St. Rita High School in Chicago.

Lazansky has been playing with he Enforcers for seven years. He was recently named team captain – a title he has already held three times on the team.

“As captain, we’re always asked to lead the team, trying to get guys focused,” Lazansky said. “As offensive lineman, I need to lead the guys into battle basically. I need to show leadership, especially for the younger guys on the team.”

According to the CPD Enforcers website, the Chicago Police Enforcers football team is a recognized nonprofit organization formed to raise funds for police and childrens charities.

The Enforcers play against teams nationally who share the same charitable goals. Proceeds from raising funds are donated to several charities, including the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, the Chicago Police Gold Star Families, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls and the Chicago Police Chaplains Ministry.

Lazansky’s formative football years began at Morton West High School where he played from freshman to senior year. He then spent five years in the semipros with the Chicago Lawmen out of Melrose Park. Now, at 34, Lazansky said the years are taking their toll.

“It’s getting a little harder every time,” he said. “I’m still recuperating from Saturday, but it’s fun to do and it’s for charity. I’m playing with a great group of Chicago guys.”

The Stickney native said the fact he’s a single guy makes it easier to divide his time between work and play.

“That helps out a little bit,” he said. “Between work and football, I don’t have much time.”

Lazansky, a graduate of Morton College and the State Police Academy in Springfield, worked a year as an auxiliary officer in Stickney before joining the Riverside Police Department in 2003.

Being a Stickney native, he said he was glad to get on with a department in a community he knew well.

“That was what was good about getting on with Riverside, I’m familiar with the area,” he said. “[But], after 12 years I still get lost once on a while.”