Robert Slechter is used to catching—and firing—bullet passes as a wide receiver and backup quarterback for the Chicago Police Enforcers football team.
Of course, real bullets are fired and violent hits are thrown whether or not the Enforcers are playing on Morton Grove High School’s field.
‘There is no justice here’
“I never was raised to hate, but to be honest with you, I hate that officer. I hate him with a passion for taking my son away from me. I always ask God to forgive me for having that in my heart, but [Slechter] has made my life just so miserable,” she says, choking on her tears.
The National Public Safety Football League, which is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in New York, opened its doors in 1997, and the Enforcers joined in 2006. The team is recognized by CPD as an affiliated organization. Priding themselves on their charitable spirit, the Enforcers donate to four charities annually, but much of the money seems to be shuffled between other police groups. Three of the four recipients are Chicago police foundations, the other is the Mercy Home for Boys & Girls. The team claims to donate all amassed funds from their fundraisers and events, which totaled roughly $31,000 in 2018, according to the team’s last publicly available data.
For scholars who study the intersections of policing, sports, and race, the league represents a look into the inner workings of one of the most highly scrutinized professions and a favorite American pastime.
