Star Retired for Line of Duty Death

The Line of Duty death that few, if any heard about:

• "He lived his dream and died doing what he wanted to do," the brother told a reporter after Chicago police officials retired the star of Nauden, a 21-year police veteran who died in May after suffering a heart attack at 46.

  Nauden was about to make an undercover drug purchase on a Southeast Side street as part of an investigation of the Black P Stones street gang when he suddenly felt ill, according to department spokeswoman Melissa Stratton.

  Without compromising the sensitive operation, he left the scene and flagged down a passing ambulance that took him to a hospital, she said. He died the next day.

  "It was a high-pressure situation," Stratton said of the planned drug buy.

  Police did not publicize Nauden's death at the time because the undercover operation was ongoing, Michael Shields, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said at Wednesday's ceremony at police headquarters. Even the usual black-and-purple bunting that is draped over entrances of police stations to denote an officer's death wasn't put up in Nauden's case, for the same reason.

Maybe we're a bit out of the loop, but has the Department declared a week of mourning? Are the flags at half staff? Mourning bands to be worn for seven days? Is the bunting over the doors at HQ or Homan Square or at the FOP? Did we miss it?

Godspeed Officer Nauden. We, along with many of your brothers and sisters, never knew.