Park Special Response Team officers honored for bravery

GROSSE POINTE PARK — Two of Grosse Pointe Park’s finest were recently honored for their work during a domestic violence incident last fall in Harper Woods.

Park Public Safety officer Brady Baetens and Sgt. Kevin Remus are members of the Eastern Wayne Special Response Team, or SRT, which is like a SWAT team. On Nov. 21, Remus and Baetens — along with other members of the SRT who hail from the other Pointes and Harper Woods — were given meritorious conduct awards from the Harper Woods Public Safety Department during a Harper Woods City Council meeting. Park Public Safety Director Bryan Jarrell also wanted to publicly recognize their work and did so during a Park City Council meeting Nov. 28.

“I wanted to acknowledge their contributions in keeping all of us safe,” Jarrell said. “I want everyone to know that the members of SRT like Brady and Kevin volunteer to be a part of a team that is only called on to intervene in the most violent, the most dangerous situations law enforcement faces. We are privileged to have these officers as part of our team as well.”

On Sept. 2, 2022, Jarrell said, the Harper Woods Public Safety Department was called to a home in the 19000 block of Woodside Street for a domestic violence report that quickly escalated after shots were fired inside the home. A witness told police that the suspect remained inside the home with two possible victims. When officers were unable to convince the suspect to come out of the house peacefully, they declared it a barricaded gunman situation and activated the SRT, led by Grosse Pointe Farms Public Safety Sgt. Frank Zielinski.

Hoping to help the victims and take the suspect into custody, officers entered the home, where they found two victims who had been shot. They also carefully searched the home for the suspect, who was still armed, eventually discovering him in the basement. While several SRT members negotiated with the suspect, other team members removed the victims from the home and turned them over to awaiting paramedics. Jarrell said that neither of the victims survived.

“In the basement, five SRT officers huddled behind a ballistic shield less than 10 feet from an armed suspect, pleading with him to drop his weapon,” Jarrell said. “After several minutes, team members utilized a distraction technique and temporarily incapacitated the suspect using a nonlethal beanbag fired from a modified shotgun and took him into custody, ending the threat.”

The SRT was able to end the standoff without any further injury or loss of life, Jarrell said.

Remus wasn’t able to attend the council meeting, but Baetens was on hand for the proceedings.

City Councilwoman Christine Gallagher thanked Baetens for his courageous actions.

“You’re an extremely brave and capable man, and we’re very lucky to have you,” Gallagher said.

City Councilman Martin McMillan echoed that sentiment.

“Thank you for your bravery, because that’s what that takes,” McMillan said.

“It’s an honor to be served by you,” City Councilman Vikas Relan said.

Mayor Michele Hodges called these officers “the cream of the crop.” She also recognized Baetens’ family, who was present at the meeting. His parents are Park residents.

“Your family is brave, too, for sharing him with us,” Hodges said.