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BERRIEN COUNTY — Berrien County will host its annual Peace Officer Memorial Day Service at noon May 14 at the Berrien County Law Enforcement Officers’ Monument, located at Lake Bluff Park in St. Joseph.

The annual service hosted by FOP Blossomland Lodge #100 will honor twenty officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Seventeen of the officers are listed on the monument with the other three being former long-time members of the Berrien County Community.  The event is open to the public.

Officers to be honored are:

• Patrolman Clarence Shockley — Niles City Police Department, Aug. 15, 1907
• Trooper William Martz — Michigan State Police Paw Paw Post, March 12, 1925
• Patrolman Francis Lamunion — St. Joseph Police Department, June 23, 1927
• Patrolman Charles Skelley — St. Joseph Police Department, Dec. 14, 1929
• Patrolman Vance Cooper — Niles City Police Department, March 4, 1937
• Deputy Elton Stover — Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, Dec. 10, 1965
• Sergeant Robert Stevens — Benton Township Police Department, April 29, 1970
• Trooper Charles Stake — MSP New Buffalo Post, Dec. 31, 1971
• Trooper Gary Rampy — MSP New Buffalo Post, Dec. 31, 1971
• Trooper Steven Devries — MSP Niles Post, Oct. 12, 1972
• Detective/Captain Paul Winquist — Niles City Police Department, Nov. 11, 1980
• Trooper Allan Peterson — MSP St. Joseph Post, Aug. 29, 1981
• Trooper Robert Mihalik — MSP St. Joseph Post, Sept. 9, 1984
• Patrolman Donald Deford — Lincoln Township Police Department, March 14, 1988
• Chief Keith Mills — St. Joseph Township Police Department, Oct. 18, 1988
• Court Security Supervisor Joseph Zangaro — Berrien County Trial Court, July 11, 2016
• Court Officer Ronald Kienzle — Berrien County Trial Court, July 11, 2016

 

Former residents serving outside the area:

• Officer Robert Polmanteer — Phoenix Police Department, May 4, 1984
• Sergeant James Faraone — Salt Lake City Police Department, Sept. 18, 2001
• Special Agent Paul Sorce — Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit, March 9, 2009