Chevy Caprice Classic pays tribute to fallen Roseville officers

ROSEVILLE — Car buffs who attend this year’s Jammin’ at the Junction will have the opportunity to pay their respects to four Roseville police officers who died in the line of duty.

The annual car show will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 28 on Utica Road between Gratiot Avenue and 12 Mile Road in Roseville. The event is open to the public and free to spectators.

During the day, car owners will display their souped-up muscle cars, classic models, coupes, convertibles and more. The festivities also will include live music, food vendors and awards.

One car that will catch the public’s attention is a 1977 Chevrolet Caprice Classic, which Roseville City Manager and Police Commissioner Ryan Monroe owns and maintains. He purchased the vehicle with his own money a few years ago to honor the dedicated Roseville patrolmen who died while serving and protecting the residents of the city.

“I plan to have the car there,” said Monroe, a former police officer. “When you work the road, that is your office. It’s a nice thing for the department and community to have the police vehicle at Jammin’ at the Junction. People like it.”

When shopping around for a commemorative car, Monroe “looked at all kinds of vehicles.” While the ’77 model was never a police car, Monroe felt the spacious and comfortable sedan was the best representation for the officers who lost their lives.

The honored patrolmen are: Albert O. DeSmet, Robert Alfred Young, William Oliver and Lawrence Cooney. All four men are remembered on the Officer Down Memorial Page website at odmp.org. The website tells brief stories of the law enforcement officers and the circumstances in which they died.

DeSmet was killed when his patrol car was struck during a high-speed pursuit Nov. 5, 1987. DeSmet, 44, was survived by his wife, son and two daughters.

According to the website, Clinton Township police were pursuing a vehicle traveling into Roseville after the driver had rammed and hit two vehicles. DeSmet and his partner, James Edwards, activated their emergency lights and pulled onto the southbound lanes of Gratiot Avenue when the vehicle struck them from behind.

DeSmet’s patrol car slid into the median and he was killed while Edwards was reportedly injured. The driver continued on until he crashed at an intersection. As time went on, the driver of the vehicle was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He was committed to a state hospital for four years and released.

Young’s “End of Watch” occurred Feb. 18, 1978, when he suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after pursuing a suspect on foot. The 51-year-old officer was assisting an ambulance crew that was having trouble restraining a man. The suspect then broke free and ran from the scene.

Young chased after him, tackled and handcuffed him and returned him to the ambulance. After a few minutes, the patrolman collapsed. The married father of three was transported to a local hospital where he died.

The Officer Down Memorial Page states that Oliver and Cooney — on duty together June 15, 1937 — died by gunfire after they apprehended a youth who was under arrest for burglarizing a local gas station.

The suspect and a second juvenile were handcuffed and being placed into a patrol car when one of them grabbed Oliver’s handgun and shot him. When Cooney heard the gunshots, he rushed to the scene and was shot at by the suspects.

“He began to chase the suspects and as he rounded the corner he was shot several times,” the website states. “Although wounded, he continued to fire at the suspects.”

Cooney drove himself to the police station and collapsed. A milkman passing by took him to a local hospital, but he did not survive his injuries, leaving behind his wife and two sons. Oliver succumbed to his wounds about one month later on July 12. He was survived by his wife and four children.

The 19-year-old suspect in the shootout was arrested and sentenced to life in prison. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page website, he was paroled Jan. 25, 1963.

“I wanted to acknowledge those officers and draw attention to the police and city,” Monroe said. “I think it’s so important to remember their sacrifices.”

Many local organizations have offered their time to help restore the Chevy without any cost to the city of Roseville or the Police Department, as no city funds were used for the project.

“The Roseville Auto Shop was generous to give it a good tune-up and make it road ready,” Monroe said. “Lafata Auto Body helped with some of the body work.”

Other contributors listed on a display plaque include Automotive Color Supply Inc., in Roseville; Van’s Towing & Transport in Roseville; US Farathane, of Sterling Heights; ABS Storage Products in Detroit; Majik Graphics in Clinton Township; and Roseville officers Brian Dobrzycki, David Lukasavage, Matthew Lesperance and his dad, Dennis Lesperance. The police officers volunteered on their own time. 

The Caprice Classic is stored in a city building and taken out on occasion for events, including parades.

“It’s a pet project of mine,” Monroe said. “It’s more for the police and the city of Roseville.”

For more information on Jammin’ at the Junction or to register your car, visit roseville-mi.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=58.