Honor Guard Special Unit

The Kalamazoo Public Safety Honor Guard is made up of officers from several divisions through out the organization. We currently have 18 members plus a bugler. The Honor Guard represents the department at funerals for fallen police officers and fire fighters. We participate in memorial services, parades and other special events as requested. 

For the year 2010 the Honor Guard participated a number of events.  We conducted several, two-hour training sessions through out the year.  The following is a summary of the events we participated in.

1. On Jan. 15^th the Honor Guard attended the funeral service for Mishawaka Indiana K-9 Officer James Stuba who was killed in the line of duty.  Officer Stuba and his K-9 Ricky were killed when a fleeing driver ran into the side of his patrol car.  The suspect was captured at the scene.  We sent 3 Honor Guard members and 6 K-9 handlers to attend the service.  There were app. 700 officers in attendance. 
2. On Feb. 12^th  the Honor guard stood casket guard during visitation for retired Kalamazoo fire fighter Donald Mann.  Mr. Mann retired from Kalamazoo in 1982 after serving 25 years. After leaving Kalamazoo he then worked for the Comstock fire department for 17 more years.
3. On Feb 13^th the Honor Guard did a final salute and attended the funeral service for retired fire fighter Donald Mann.
4. On March 5^th the Honor Guard attended the funeral service for Jackson Police Officer James Bonneau.  Officer Bonneau was killed in the line of duty when a Domestic Assault suspect shot both he and his partner.  The partner returned fire killing the suspect.  The second officer survived his wound to the leg.
5. On March 17^th the Honor Guard assisted with the grave side service for retired Kalamazoo Police officer Reg Kissinger.  Officer Kissinger retired from Kalamazoo in 1982.  The Honor Guard folded and presented the flag, did a shot gun salute and played taps.   
6. May 3, the Honor Guard went to Lansing for the Michigan Law Enforcement memorial ceremony for officers killed in the line of Duty.
7. On June 11, 2010, the Honor Guard attended a memorial service for retired KDPS officer Al Frazier. They gave a final salute and presented a folded flag to the family.
8. On July 29, the Honor Guard attended the funeral of Cpl Matthew Edwards of the Taylor PD who died in the line of duty.
9. On Sept 11, 2010, the Honor Guard attended the 9/11 memorial held to honor those lost at the September 11, 2001 tragedy in New York City , providing shot gun and taps at the conclusion of the ceremony.

The Honor Guard at Bronson Park during a ceremony held to honor those lost at the September 11, 2001 tragedy in New York City. In honor of those who have fallen.