Senator LaSata Introduces Bill To Honor County Court Officers Killed In 2016

berriencountycourthouse

A bill is pending in the state Senate to update Michigan law to allow the names of the two Berrien County Courthouse officers killed in July 2016 to be added to the Michigan Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Monument. Currently, the names of security supervisor Joseph Zangaro and court officer Ron Kienzle are not allowed to be added because while they were killed in the line of duty, they had retired from Michigan State Police and the Benton Charter Township Police Department, respectively. Senator Kim LaSata has introduced the bill, doing so on Peace Officers Memorial Day. Zangaro and Kienzle are both included on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. They were killed when an inmate tried to escape custody outside the courtroom of the senator’s husband, Judge Charles LaSata, in St. Joseph.