Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 4032 AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: SEPTEMBER 2016 by Michelle Crandall T o protect and serve. That is the motto found on many police ve- hicles throughout the country and that is what Joseph Zangaro and Ronald Kienzle were doing when they were shot and killed while working at the Berrien County courthouse in Michi- gan on July 11. Zangaro, 61, head of secu- rity, and Kienzle, 63, a bailiff, were shot and killed by an inmate being escorted to a holding cell. In addition to killing the two court officers, the inmate shot and injured Berrien County Deputy James At- terberry and a civilian before he was killed by other bailiffs responding to the scene. Since the shooting, the me- morial in front of the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department – which started as a way to support the Dallas Police Department after five of its officers were gunned down – grew to include flowers, let- ters and ribbons to remember the loss of Joseph Zangaro and Ronald Kienzle. Both men were retired law enforcement profession- als: Zangaro was a Michi- gan State Police lieutenant and post commander, and Kienzle was a sergeant with the Benton Township Police Department. At Kienzle’s funeral, Ben- ton Township Chief Vince Fetke talked about the words “protect and serve” and how they fit the men whose lives were taken as they rushed to the aid of another officer. “We see those words on our cars,” he said. “When I see them now I will always remember Joe and Ron as our heroes who protected and served.” In Berrien County’s Drug Treatment Court, a program that is geared toward helping addicts become clean and so- ber, the officers’ deaths have touched many of the people who have been helped by the Court. “There have been three different judges since Judge Angela Pasula started it six years ago, but Ron was the only bailiff,” said Berrien County Trial Court Judge Charles LaSata. “People are so distraught; there was a woman in court tearing up.” LaSata said the woman, who was an addict, had been molested as a child and Kienzle had worked her case 30 years ago and recognized her. Kienzle told the woman that Judge LaSata was a no “BS” judge, but that she would do well in Drug Treat- ment Court. He promised to look her up a couple times a month and keep track of her. “She has been sober for the last eight months,” Judge LaSata said. “That is what we lost. They were more than a couple of guys in retire- ment.” Deniece Fisher knew Kien- zle for about 28 years, and Zangaro about 20 years. She said both would be humbled by the community response and support. “I think they would be happy to see the support from the community for the police, but then they would say, ‘OK, let’s get back to work,’” Fisher said. “Without a doubt they were heroes in the truest sense of the word. The word hero is thrown around a lot, but they were.” At Kienzle’s funeral, Judge LaSata read a a well known poem – The Monument, by LAPD retired Sgt. George Hahn: “I never dreamed it would be me And with heavy heart and bended knee I ask for all here from the past Dear God, let my name be the last.” Michelle Crandall is a free- lance reporter. A Courthouse Tragedy A Courthouse Tragedy Joseph Zangaro Ronald Kienzle Quotes on Dallas Police using bomb detection robot and explosive ordinance to kill suspect: “It’s what we have done with drones in warfare. In warfare, your object is to kill. Law enforcement has a different mission.” – Rick Nelson, a former counterterrorism official on the National Security Council, to The New York Times. “No court would find a legal problem here. When someone is an ongoing lethal danger, there isn’t an obligation by officers to put themselves in harm’s way.” – Ryan Calo, law professor and expert in legal issues and robotics