Joliet Police to Serve as Honor Guard at Bears Game

If you happen to catch the National Anthem before the Chicago Bears game Thursday night, you might spot a few faces down on the field that look familiar.

Four Joliet police officers -- Moises Avila, Chris D’Arcy, Carlos Matlock and Kevin Sepulveda -- will make up the honor guard presenting the flags during the ceremony, Joliet Police Cmdr. Al Roechner told the Joliet Herald News.

With the federal government shutdown under way, the U.S. Marines who usually do the honors were not available, Roechner said. The Chicago Police Department also had to pass, so they recommended the Bears contact Joliet, he told the paper.

In addition to the prestige of participating in a nationally broadcast game, the officers will stay to watch the Bears take on the New York Giants at 7:25 p.m.

“It’s an honor to represent the department before such a big audience,” Sepulveda told the paper. “We’ll have to be there three hours early to practice, but (the Bears) are giving each of us a parking pass and one ticket for the game. It’s pretty cool.”