Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
The Italian American Police Association honored a pair of law enforcement titans at its annual dinner dance on Nov. 5 at Ashton Place in Willowbrook. Anthony Napolitano, alderman of Chicago’s 41st Ward, received the IAPA’s Man of the Year Award, and Nicholas Roti, a former Chicago Police Department deputy chief and bureau chief who now serves as executive director of the city’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The following profiles were provided by the organization.
Ald. Anthony V. Napolitano
Anthony V. Napolitano traces his roots to Italy on both sides of his family. His mother, Sara DeLiso, was born in Mola Di Bari and immigrated to the United States when she was 8 years old. His father, “Tony” Napolitano, is a second-generation Italian American whose family came from Naples and Calabria.
Anthony grew up in the 41st Ward and is a graduate of Immaculate Conception Grammar School, Notre Dame High School and Calumet College of St. Joseph University. In 2000, he joined the Chicago Police Department, serving as a gang enforcement officer in the 015th District in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.
After five proud years as a Chicago Police Officer, Anthony crossed over to the Chicago Fire Department, where he served as a Firefighter/EMT for more than 10 years. His career paths came from a deep-seated belief in public service that was inspired by his father, uncle and brother, who all served as Chicago Police Officers.
Anthony has an inherent drive to serve his community. After 15 years of serving the City of Chicago, he decided the Chicago government needed a dramatic change. In 2015, he ran for Alderman of Chicago’s 41st Ward and won. He was reelected in 2019, receiving more than 70 percent of the vote.
Anthony has devoted the past eight years in office to his community and to the working conditions of his brothers and sisters in the trades and public safety sectors of the city. He resides in the 41st Ward, where he has lived for more than 47 years. He and his wife and childhood sweetheart, Jamie O’Shaughnessy-Napolitano, are raising their three children, Sofia, Fiona and Anthony, in Edison Park.
Anthony spends his free time coaching two AA Girls Hockey teams, which made it to nationals in both 2021 and 2022. He also coaches an all-girl high school hockey team.
Nicholas J. Roti
Nicholas J. Roti was born in Chicago to an Italian immigrant father, Nicola Rotiroti, and first-generation Italian-American mother, Josephine Barbagallo, who instilled a lasting pride in his Italian heritage as well as a strong work ethic. Nick was raised in a Southwest Side neighborhood that was home to many first responders who, along with his parents, served as role models. While attending a local college, he took the first Chicago Police Department entrance exam he was eligible for, entering the CPD Academy at 22 years of age.
To date, Nick’s law enforcement career spans more than 36 years. After spending many years working in high-crime and gang-infested areas of Chicago as a Police Officer and Sergeant, he began rising through the ranks. As a Lieutenant, he served as a Watch Commander as well as the Commanding Officer of the 2nd District Tactical/Gang Unit, Detective Division’s Area 2 Robbery/Burglary Theft Unit and Detective Division’s Area 4 Homicide/Gang/Sex Crimes Unit. As a Commander, he led the Crime Strategy and Accountability Unit, Gang Investigations and Intelligence Section, and the Narcotics Section. As a Deputy Chief, he led the Detective Division and the Organized Crime Division. Ultimately, he was appointed Chief of the Bureau of Organized Crime and Counterterrorism, serving in that capacity until he retired. During his tenure with the CPD, he supervised many of Chicago’s biggest and most newsworthy operations and investigations. He was also selected by the U.S. Department of State to conduct criminal gang conspiracy investigations training in Central America for law enforcement leaders from several countries in the region.
After retiring from the Chicago Police Department, he served as the Chief Policy Advisor to the Director of the Illinois State Police. Due to his extensive experience in partnering and coordinating efforts with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, Nick was appointed the Executive Director of the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), one of 33 HIDTA Directors across the country. HIDTA is a program under the President’s Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Nick has held leadership positions with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Illinois Drug Enforcement Officers Association and Chicago HIDTA, and is a member of the National Deconfliction Council and Greater Council of Cook County Police Chiefs. He holds an M.S. in Law Enforcement Administration and is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police.
Additionally, Nick has donated a significant part of his personal time to assisting law enforcement officers and their families, including the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation and Association of Federal Narcotics Agents Foundation. He is also an associate member of the Chicago Blackhawk Alumni Association, whose mission is to provide scholarships to deserving youth and to be positively involved in community affairs and charitable causes.
Nick has been happily married for 32 years to his lovely and supportive wife, Janice, who is 50 percent Italian and a recently retired teacher.
