Saturday morning, the first day of May 2010, Maplewood (MN) Police Sgt. Joseph Bergeron, 49, was fatally shot while responding to a reported carjacking. The Council, on behalf of all law enforcement officers, sends its heartfelt condolences to Sergeant Bergeron's wife and two daughters. We also share the grief felt by Maplewood PD and all who served with him.
A jogger on a nearby trail heard the shot that killed Bergeron, a married father of two and a 26-year police veteran, and turned back around to see two suspects fleeing, police said. The jogger used the officer's radio to call for help, and the carjacking victim warned police that at least one of the suspects was armed.
This continues an unusual nationwide phenomenon that has seen officers shot - and murdered - over the past year. As uniformed officers in marked patrol units, we are clearly visible as a reassuring sign of police presence and crime prevention. Unfortunately, we are also easy targets. Public outrage over this phenonmena has been muted.
The hallmark of an effective ambush is total surprise. This fact does not bode well for the officer on duty. We all respond to calls. We now need to do this more carefully. When responding, we need to consider parking in a tactically sound area, approaching using cover and concealment while we observe the location and its surroundings, and ensure that we have backup. This points to the need for jurisdictions to consider two-man patrol units. If this solution is unaffordable, maybe it's time to consider implementing or expanding a reserve law enforcement program.
