PoliceLink

This is an honored site. Please, PLEASE do not post anything other than the fallen officers name, Date of EOW, agency and brief Bio of the fallen officer and who entered the tribute. will try to get Admin to make a permanent place for this. In the mean time be respectful of our fallen heros. Thank You

My Dad: Robert "Bob" Varner, EOW 01/02/1989. Navajo County Sheriff's Office, AZ. Deputy Varner was shot and killed after stopping a stolen vehicle with stolen tags on I-40 near Winslow, Arizona. When the vehicle stopped, the passenger exited the car and opened fire with a sub-machine gun, striking Deputy Varner several times. Deputy Varner had been a member of the Navajo County Sheriff's Department for one year, after retiring from the Arizona Department of Public Safety with 24 years of service. He is survived by his wife, son, and two daughters.

Alfred "Butch" Brown, Jr., Cook County Illinois Sheriff's. EOW 11-17-1992
On the afternoon of 11-12-92 Butch had just arrested a subject for disorderly conduct; while patting him down the offender gave him a backwards head-butt, striking him in the forehead. Butch continued his shift, unaware that a clot was forming at the base of his skull. He stroked that night, and stroked five more times in the next five days until he was declared brain dead on Nov. 17th. He is survived by his parents, two sons, daughter, brothers and sisters and numerous extended family members. His badge was finally retired on what would have been his 60th birthday, August 6th, 2007.
He was my partner, best friend, "big brother"...and is now my guardian angel. Rest in peace, Butch

Ferris Edward Catoe III "Eddie" "Stump" Camden Police Dept. Sgt. K-9 officer EOW 7-10-2000. On the afternoon of 7-10-2000 while traveling towards his home in Kershaw,S.C. A Power company truck towing a power pole lost there brakes and ran a stop sign in the path of "Eddie's" patrol car. He was able to steer enough to only hit the truck and not go under the pole, but he died shortly after the accident from his injuries. Along with Eddie was his K-9 partner "Axel", who was thrown out the back window during the accident. Axel sustained a broken leg and hip, but survived and was later retired and now lives with Eddy's parents and son. Eddie is survived by his parents, one son, a brother, and fience'.We were planning our wedding and future. He was a great Cop, person, Father, Son, future husband, he loved his work and his K-9 partner. You were my best friend, soul mate, sounding board, help mate, I Love You EVERYDAY, and miss you, and now you are my gaurdian angel, RIP my love

OFFICER JEFF ROMINGER, EOW 8-31-2000, OklahomaCity Police Department.

Officer Rominger attempted to stop a vehicle shortly before 3:00 am when the driver fled. The suspect led Officer Rominger the wrong way on Interstate 40 for only a short distance before colliding with oncoming traffic. Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Matt Evans was enroute to a separate call and collided with the accident before careening into Officer Rominger's vehicle. Both occupants of the suspect's vehicle, Trooper Evans and Officer Rominger died in the fiery crash.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Norris EOW July 05, 2007
Deputy Josh Norris was wearing a bullet-proof vest when he arrived at the scene of a reported domestic disturbance, he was the first officer on the scene. But as he approached the West Bank house, he was felled by a gunshot that entered the vest's arm opening. Deputy Norris is survived by his fiancee, parents, and two brothers, Both of his brothers are also deputies with the sheriff's office. Three people escaped from the house on Southwood Drive after Deputy Norris was shot. One was a woman who had recently split up with the suspect, Antonio Luke. The others were his grandmother and a 5-year-old child. They are the people Deputy Norris and his fellow officers were coming to help. Memorial Video for JPSO Deputy Josh Norris:
http://blog.nola.com/csnola/2007/07/memorial_video_for_jpso_deputy.html and there is a video link on this page also that is very moving: http://www.jpso.com/fallen_officer_norris.htm

May 4, 1979 Erie, Pa Police Department

Officer Melvin Wilcox

Patrolman Wilcox was killed in a motorcycle accident during a vehicle pursuit. He was chasing a suspect when a pickup truck pulled out in front of him, causing a collision.

Mel was a great guy, great sense of humor.. He was killed about the same time that I accepted my first LEO job.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sgt457/510781962/

February 10, 1997 Ohio State University Police Department

Officer Michael Blankenship

Officer Michael Blankenship was shot and killed after he and another officer responded to a theft call at a university student center. The killer was found dead after committing suicide.

Mike and I had been friends for years, and used to have breakfast together when we were working midnights, back when he worked for a local township PD. We had just talked about getting together for lunch several days before he was killed. He was buried on Valentine's Day 1997.

Sgt. Henry Prendes Las Vegas Metro Police, EOW February 1, 2006. After responding to a domestic violence call Henry was shot several times by the boyfriend of the woman that had been beaten. He will never be forgotten. I now have license plates with his photo and EOW information on two of my cars.

Officer Matthew J. Melchionda, age 31, Watchung PD, New Jersey

EOW March 8, 2006. Matt was responding to back up two plainclothes officers who had requested a marked unit's assistance in making a stop of a suspicious vehicle, . As Matt was heading to the plainclothes officers' location a mini-van pulled in front of his cruiser, forcing him to swerve to avoid a collision. Matt's cruiser then struck a tree broadside, killing him instantly. Matt was a six year veteran of the Watchung PD and a graduate of the Somerset County Police Academy (where I had the honor of being one of his instructors). His brother, David, is also a police officer. Matt left behind his young wife. Rest in Peace Brother

Officer Robert Nguygen, age 30, Jersey City PD, New Jersey
Officer Shawn Carson, age 40, Jersey City PD, New Jersey

EOW December 25, 2005. These two officers were members of the Jersey City PD ESU. On the night of December 25, 2005 they were working together in the same ESU vehicle and had driven across the Lincoln Highway Bridge over the Hackensack River in a heavy fog condition to drop off flares and traffic cones with other officers at that location to warn oncoming drivers that the bridges safety warning system was not working. A safety bar used to warn drivers had been damaged two days earlier when it was hit by a car. Before the two officers headed back across the bridge, its middle span was raised by bridge workers to allow a tugboat to pass under it. Officers Carson and Nguygen headed back across the fog shrouded bridge unaware that the middle span was raised. The officer's ESU vehicle plunged into the icy river below. Officer Carson was pulled from the river soon after but he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Officer Nguygen's body was recovered from the river several days later. Officer Carson was a 16 year veteran of the force. Officer Nguygen was a 6 year veteran of the force and a graduate of the Somerset County Police Academy where I had the honor of being one of his instrutors. Rest in Peace my Brothers.

Sgt John Maki Celeste TX PD EOW 02-10-04. Sergeant John Maki was killed in an automobile accident while en route to assist an ongoing investigation.

He was called in the work from a day off at the request of the police chief to assist in the investigation. Sergeant Maki was driving on FM 544 when he was involved in an accident with another vehicle. He was flown to Parkland Hospital in Dallas where he was pronounced dead.

Sergeant Maki had served with the Celeste Police Department for 2 years. He is survived by his parents.

Sgt. Maki was a good friend of mine, he encouraged me while I was in the academy.

Deputy David Poling, EOW: 05/22/07, Gallia County Sheriff's Office, Ohio.
Age: 32 He leaves behind a wife and two small children.
Deputy Poling drown in the Ohio River after chasing a suspect into the water.
Dave was a close friend and co-worker and I am having a really hard time dealing with it this Holiday Season. Please pray for his family, co-workers and me.

***I miss ya brother***

Trooper Billy Jack Zachary, Texas Department of Public Safety
End of Watch: Sunday, January 1, 2006
Age: 32

BJ was struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle while making a traffic stop on two vehicles on I-20 near Monahans, Texas.

He was returning to his patrol car after speaking to one of the drivers when a third vehicle veered from the travel lane and struck him. He was struck as he returned to his patrol car after speaking with the driver in the car that pulled over behind him.

BJ had served with the Texas Department of Public Safety for just over one year. He is survived by his wife, 3-month-old daughter (at the time of the accident), parents, and sister and a lot of friends.

Detective William "Wally" Rolniak, Jr., Riverdale Illinois PD. On February 4th, 2004, Wally was taken hostage by a suspect inside of the Riverdale PD. He was dragged outside and killed execution style behind a building near the PD. Wally was 39 years old, left behind his wife, two beautiful daughters, parents, three sisters, and countless friends. We miss his great smile, his sense of humor, his fondness for oldies music, and everything else about him.

I'll never forget that night...a friend and I were hugging after sucessfully getting two streets renamed after two of our fallen officers. Minutes later, we were called out of the meeting room and told that there was an officer down, possibly two. Our tears of joy turned into tears of sorrow, our happy hugs into comforting ones. When we found out it was Wally, my tears turned to sobs.

Even though it was one of the coldest days of the year, Wally's funeral procession was over 10 miles long, a testament to the wonderful cop, husband, father and friend that he was. Rest in peace, my friend, I won't let you be forgotten...ever.