Final Call: Fallen Law Enforcement Officers of Berrien County, Michigan

by Chriss Lyon

May 15th of each year is National Law Enforcement Memorial Day. We pay our respects not only to those law enforcement officers who gave their lives across the nation and the state, but also locally. Berrien County lies in the southwest corner of Michigan, bordering Indiana to the south and Lake Michigan to the west. Since 1907, twenty police officers have died in the line of duty as of 2024: seventeen within Berrien County, and three serving in outside agencies. These twenty men represented various departments and died due to different circumstances, but they all wore the badge till the day they went home. Although they are no longer with us, we still remember. This is the story of their last call.

202 pages, Paperback

Published November 7, 2024

About the author

For over twenty-five years, retired public safety professional and historian Chriss Lyon has not only walked the beat, but shot the most famous Thompson submachine guns in the world, all while documenting and researching the historic era of the “The Roaring Twenties.” Using techniques of forensic genealogy combined with investigative research, she has been able to uncover little known facts about the people and events surrounding the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, revealing them at presentations at schools, museums, genealogical, and historical societies. Her passion in Prohibition-era gangsters, maritime, law enforcement, and aviation history as well as historical weather has afforded opportunities to write articles for various magazines and journals and assist other authors with historical research. A graduate of Grand Valley State University’s Film/Video School, Chriss began working behind the scenes at CNN Headline News but now is out in front of the camera. She has appeared in an episode of the PBS series, “History Detectives” as well as documentaries on the National Geographic Channel, American Heroes Network, German Public Television, and Investigation Discovery Channel.

Reviews

[Chriss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel has been a work in progress for about twenty years and unfortunately, I had to add two more fallen officers in the process. I wanted to share more than just their last day of life. May each officer's sacrifice be remembered and honored forever.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was sad to read all the lives lost. Chriss did a lot of research to bring this story to life. That hard work shows. Getting to see what these officers did and the history in the departments. You get to know that officer and a bit of his story. You feel all these losses deeply. I would recommend to others. Really good. Hard to put down.