Day honors officers killed in the line of duty

Thu, May 15, 2008

SPRING LAKE — Spring Lake/Ferrysburg Police Department memorialized officers who died in the line of duty during a ceremony this morning.

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Sgt. Jeff Vukits lowered the American flag to half staff outside the department headquarters on Savidge Street.

Ferrysburg and Spring Lake officials also participated in the ceremony.

Today marks National Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week containing May 15 has been National Police Week since President John F. Kennedy signed Public Law 87-726 on Oct. 1, 1962.

Grand Haven Department of Public Safety officers attended a memorial this morning in Grand Rapids, honoring Officer Robert Kozminski.

Kozminski, 29, a seven-year veteran of the Grand Rapids Police Department, was shot in July 2007.

Jeffrey VanVels was convicted in February of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Kozminski. His conviction carries a mandatory punishment of life in prison without parole.

In Grand Haven, officer Scott Flahive, 28, was killed by an escaped inmate in December 1994. Keith Harbin shot Flahive near Taco Bell on S. Beacon Boulevard (U.S. 31) and Taylor Avenue. Flahive was shot by a single blast from the gun and died a short time later.

Harbin was taken into custody and later sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a police officer.