Christian Saladino, the Arlington Heights police officer who died in his squad car Thursday from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, is being remembered with adjectives like “fun-loving” and “gentleman’s gentleman,” as the kind of policeman who cared about things like serving the public and doing the job well.
“A lot of guys are openly weeping because a good man in a tough business has passed from us,” remarked Ernest Blomquist, an Arlington Heights attorney who prosecutes ordinance violations and for eight years knew Saladino from the many times their paths crossed in the courthouse.
“He always had something good to say about people he dealt with,” said Blomquist. “He was compassionate. He took the attitude, `How can I do what’s right?’ “
But as much as he and others knew Saladino, who was 37, they didn’t have the missing pieces to fit together the puzzle of why he would choose to park his squad car behind Village Hall near the end of his patrol shift and, with a single gunshot, take his life.
Police officials in Arlington Heights are releasing little information about the incident, which ended with Saladino’s car erupting into flames. There have, however, been some unconfirmed reports of difficulties that Saladino was having with his police superiors, conflicts that one close friend said had become increasingly upsetting to a dedicated police officer who was concerned that his record would be hurt.
Saladino was a veteran police officer whose career began in 1980 in Schiller Park. From there, he went on to serve in Highland Park, in Seattle and then in 1988 he was hired in Arlington Heights.
Peter J. Puleo, the Schiller Park police chief, was Saladino’s supervisor when he worked in that village. He characterized Saladino as a promising and a top law enforcement officer.
“It’s very difficult to get police jobs,” said Puleo. “But he could get hired anyplace he went because of his outstanding ability.”
A funeral mass for Saladino, who was married and the father of two young children, will be said at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Beatrice Church, 4133 Wagner St., Schiller Park.