Jan 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 1

night.
The State police said K-9 Broko
gave his life protecting his handler,
fellow troopers and the
community.
State police said they arrived
at a home on Mechanic Street
to serve a felony arrest warrant
held by Norwich police at 7:33
p.m. on Thursday.
“An officer-involved shooting
occurred as troopers attempted
to serve these warrants, and serious
injuries have been reported,”
state police said in a news
release.
“K9 Broko was a graduate of
the 218th Connecticut State Police
Patrol K9 Class in January
2021 and was a very well-respected
member of the Connecticut
State Police Search and
Rescue team. K9 Broko and his
handler were assigned to Troop
A in Southbury and most recently
to the Connecticut State Police
K9 Unit. K9 Broko heroically
served with unwavering dedication,
saving lives by locating
missing individuals, apprehending
dangerous suspects, and
providing a steadfast shield to
his handler. K9 Broko ultimately
sacrificed his life doing what he
was known best for,” CSP said in
a press release.
MICHIGAN OFFICER PULLS
ELDERLY WOMAN FROM BURN-
ING PICKUP TRUCK
A Fraser (Michigan) Public
Safety Officer is being commended
for his quick, brave
actions in rescuing an elderly
woman from her burning vehicle.
Officer Cameron Rieper pulled
the woman from the driver’s seat
of a GMC Sierra at about 10 p.m.
Saturday as the vehicle was fully
engulfed in a ditch, the Macomb
Daily reports.
Rieper said he didn’t think
twice about it. “The way we look
at it, it’s part of our job,” he said.
“It was a life or death situation.
I knew if I didn’t pull her out
immediately she would burn. My
instincts kicked in right away.”
“It was heroic,” Hoppe said.
“That’s exactly what you want
your officers to do. He’s always
out there hustling, but this time
he saved a life.”
Rieper said the initial call from
dispatch was for a vehicle in a
ditch. But enroute, he learned the
vehicle was on fire, so he was
ready to pounce.
He said as he approached the
vehicle, the woman, who said
appeared to be “in her 80s,”
rolled up the window.
He opened the door and she
was buckled in while clutching
the steering wheel.
“She was holding onto the
steering wheel so I had to fight
with her a little bit to get her
hands off of the steering wheel,”
he said. “I unbuckled her and got
her out and pulled her to safety.”
He said the woman appeared
disoriented and may have been
experiencing a medical emergency.
She was conscious and
talking but confused, he said.
She was transported by ambulance,
accompanied by Rieper,
to McLaren Macomb hospital
in Mount Clemens. He said she
may have suffered some smoke
inhalation.
Rieper said he doesn’t know
the circumstances of how the
vehicle ended up in the ditch.
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66 The Blues - January ‘24