Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Thinking of you this holiday season - we miss you Jay!

November 23, 2007

"The Badge"
He starts his shift each day
To respond to calls unknown.
He drives a marked patrol car.
A police officer he is known.
He's paid by the citizens' taxes
To make it safe on the streets.
But he usually has a second job
'Cause a waitress has his salary beat.
Now he doesn't know a holiday
'Cause he works all year round.
And when Thanksgiving and Christmas finally arrive
At his home he cannot be found.
He's cursed and assaulted often,
The one whos blood runs blue.
He seldom ever gets a thanks,
To some he's just a fool.
His friends are always other cops
'Cause people just don't understand
That underneath his badge and gun,
He's just another man.
He knows there might not be a tomorrow
In this world of drugs and crime.
And he gets so mad at the court system
'Cause the crooks don't get any time.
And each day when he leaves for work,
He prays to God above.
Please bring me home after my shift
So I can see the ones I love.
But tonight he stops a speeding car,
He's alone down this ole' highway.
It's just a little traffic infraction.
He does it everyday.
Well, he walks up to the driver's window,
And his badge is shining bright.
He asked the guy for a driver's license,
When a shot rang through the night.
Yes, the bullet hit its mark,
Striking the officer in the chest.
But the Department's budget didn't buy
Each officer a bullet-proof vest.
So he lay on the ground bleeding.
His blood wasn't blue - His blood was red.
And briefly he thought of his loved ones
'Cause in a moment the officer was dead.
In the news they told the story
Of how this officer had died.
And some who listened cared less,
But those who loved him cried.
Well, they buried him in uniform
With his badge pinned on his chest.
He even had his revolver,
He died doing his best.
Written By:
David L. Bell
Sergeant
Richland County Sheriff's Department
Columbia, South Carolina
Used with Special Permission of the Author
Copyright © 1999 - All Rights Reserved
and may not be duplicated without permission

Investigator David L Bell
Richland County Sheriff's Dept., Columbia, SC

November 13, 2007

I woke up this morning thinking about jay , like I do all day every day and I would like to thank whoever New mexico is and everyone that has not forgotten my beautiful brother. My mom is gone now too and it is really just so hard to even believe. My mother taught me strength and I know what they both would want me to do, that is how i get through each day. I walked in both of their homes and broke down , all the years, all the times I took for granted that they would always be there. I am so grateful just like I said at my moms funeral for every moment. My dad and jason and mom were so smart, so educated, just too young to be gone. They are a part of me and thank you all for still writing things because it gives me peace. Tara

tara makowski
sister

November 13, 2007

you were honored today outside city hall - Lest We Forget.

November 12, 2007

I pray your sister receive strength from God himself. He is our only source of comfort when we have no one to turn to. That is all we need. She is actually quite blessed to have such a wonderful family. She will never be alone because the Lord is with her also. Even though we may never know each other, I believe she was brought up with a strong teaching to last her a lifetime. Stay strong!

New Mexico

November 8, 2007

Well Jason I did it again - I ordered more memorial items in your memory. This time it was the license plates from the ODMP and I got more ideas in the works. We still talk and think about you all the time...you know its been over a year now but the pain and void still stick with me. I always wonder how that night would have turned out had you not took that position by the house across the street from the a$$hole...we will never forget you Jason - you truly defined what it means to be a good friend, police officer and father. Look out for Cameron, your sister, friends family and loved ones - as i'm sure we could all use the extra strength during the holidays and we're going to continue to pray for you. I'll never stop visiting your graveside or doing what ever I can to keep your name and memory alive.
Thinking of and praying for you always,
your friend.

FRIEND

November 6, 2007

Cpl Makowski,

After meeting some of your co-workers, It is very clear to me that you were a great officer, great friend, great father, and role model for those around you. It seemed as though you always made your fellow workers happy, were never upset yourself, and lived life with a positive outlook. God bless your child, family, friends, fellow officers, and others that were and still are close to you. You will never be forgotten. Each year my family and I will pay our respects at the memorial in DC. Take care sir, and thank you for looking out for us at night.

P.O. Kowalik
Harper Woods PD

November 5, 2007

Hi you...
Do you know I have still not been to your graveside?? Not surprising really... I just need to muster up the courage. This is the most beautiful time of the year though, and I promise I will bring you some autumn flowers... I just wasn't ready last year. I miss you like you don't even know. I don't have anyone to talk to every night night anymore, it pisses me off! Although our conversations pissed me off too!! I miss you sooo much!! And now that your mother is with you your sister is much without a family! We/I are trying to keep her close though! Take care of your mother Jay and we will take care of the rest!
I love you and miss you!!

B
DHPD

November 5, 2007

I have been having a hard time lately Jay. I have been thinking about you alot. I find my self crying during the day wishing this never happend and wishing that I could sd something to change this. There is an upcoming event that I am not really all that happy about. I know that is also making me miss you even more. I am sorry about your mother but you have your mother and father back with you again. Cameron is doing wonderfuly, he spent some times with me and Julian resently he is just like you, energenic and fun loving you should be so proud of him. I miss you Jay. I love you.

Stacy
Family

October 26, 2007

often times I find myself returning to your page to find comfort, I try and make myself believe that everythings going to be okay - but the truth is Jay, it's never going to be okay and I'll probably never move past what happened. When I think about what happened and the events that took place on the 24th of May 2006 my eyes swell up with tears - when I read the POAM LEJ and see titles that read "Heavy Hearts in Dearborn Heights Corporal Makowski died trying to protect citizens and Fellow Officers" or the one that has been posted below "Officers of the Year" tears just fall out of my eyes.

Just over a year ago I interviewed with the U.S. Department of Labor - during this interview one of the questions that I was aasked was whats the hardest think I have ever had to face/deal with in my life. At that time my answer was simple. However, my answer has since changed because the hardest thing I ever had to face was your death and putting you to rest.

I miss you Jason. I miss seeing you around the station, the court, on the road. I hope you're at peace and always remember that we will forever honor your memory and you will never be forgotten.

Until we meet again-
You're friend.

FRIEND

October 24, 2007

Guess you know how it went down Jason.

A good friend
Dearborn Heights

October 19, 2007

Police Officers of the Year

TO THE LATE DEARBORN HEIGHTS POLICE CPL. JASON MAKOWSKI
DEARBORN HEIGHTS POLICE SGT. ALFRED NASON, CPL. TERRY BEAUDRIE, CPL. BRUCE COTTON, CPL. MARK MEYERS, CPL. KIRK MYERS, CPL. JOHN OBLAK, CPL JEFFREY ROSS, OFFICER COREY SMITH AND OFFICER RUBEN GONZALEZ
GARDEN CITY POLICE SGT. ERIC ZIMMER



When officers responded to 911 reports of trouble in a Dearborn Heights residential neighborhood, it was broad daylight. Little did they know that one of their own would tragically be among the dead before daylight broke again.

The incident began about 6 p.m. on May 24, 2006. Two different 911 callers had described the same terrifying scene: A handgun-wielding man was ordering his neighbors to get inside their homes. "There's going to be some killing soon," he warned.

Dearborn Heights officers had just begun interviewing witnesses at the scene when the gunman in question appeared at the front door of his modest ranch home and, without warning, fired a single .45-caliber bullet. The bullet blasted the windshield of a parked vehicle less than a foot away from Sgt. Alfred Nason.

As Nason and the other officers scrambled for cover, the suspect again began firing at them. Nason called for reinforcements, reporting that the gunman was shooting at them and had them pinned down behind a parked car.

Reinforcements from Dearborn Heights and from neighboring Garden City, Inkster and Westland promptly flooded the neighborhood. Among the first officers on the scene were Cpl. Terry Beaudrie and Cpl. Jason Makowski. Makowski quickly made his way through the neighboring backyards, stopping only when he reached the home directly across the street from the gunman. There he positioned himself beside the home, where he could watch the suspect's front door and provide the other officers, who had less strategic views, with ongoing updates about the suspect's actions. Makowski didn't have to wait long before the suspect, who had momentarily ducked into his house, reappeared at the front door � and began firing directly at him.

Seconds later, Dearborn Heights 911 received a disturbing call. "An officer is down in my driveway," reported the caller, who lived directly across the street from the gunman. "He's bleeding badly."

Immediately, Sgt. Nason conducted an on-air roll call of all officers on the scene. Cpl. Makowski was the only one who failed to respond.

Fearing the worst, Nason ordered officers to advance toward the backyard of the house where Makowski had stationed himself. Cpl. Kirk Myers, the first officer to reach Makowski, found him bleeding profusely in the driveway, within easy shooting range for the gunman. Disregarding his own safety, Myers attempted to help Murkowski, putting himself directly in the firing line.

Now the suspect had two uniformed targets � and he wasted no time shooting at both of them. Despite the imminent danger to his own life, Cpl. Myers tried to drag his fallen comrade to a safer spot, where he could better tend to him. But Cpl. Makowski's size and the lethal, non-stop rounds the gunman was firing directly at them made the task impossible. Returning the gunman's fire with his M-16, Cpl. Myers managed to temporarily halt the assault. That allowed Cpl. Terry Beaudrie, who had just joined them, to also risk his own life by helping Myers pull Makowski to the rear driveway.

As the two officers tended to Makowski, the gunman again began shooting at the three officers, repeatedly striking the adjacent garage and the house. At this point, Cpl. Mark Meyers, Officer Corey Smith and Officer Ruben Gonzalez arrived to help with Cpl. Makowski's rescue. Cpl. Kirk Myers advised Nason that the only way to rescue Makowski and get him the help he desperately need was to have someone provide cover fire.

At Nason's command, Garden City Police Sgt. Eric Zimmer, armed with an AR-15 rifle and stationed close to the suspect's home, stood ready. Officers Smith, Gonzalez, Kirk Myers and Mark Meyers began carrying Makowski to the rear fence.

As soon as the gunman moved toward his front door, Zimmer fired several rounds through the front door and front picture window of the gunman's home, driving the gunman deeper inside. That gave the officers tending to Makowski time to hand him over the rear yard fence to Cpls. Jeffrey Ross, Bruce Cotton and Beaudrie, who carried the wounded corporal to a waiting Dearborn Heights Fire Department rescue unit.

Wanting all of the rescue team members to give their full attention to Makowski's medical aide, Ross himself jumped into the ambulance driver's seat and drove to Garden City Hospital.

But the incident was far from over. Cpls. Mark Meyers and John Oblak as well as Officers Gonzalez and Smith moved toward the gunman's home. As they maneuvered into position, their suspect appeared in his front door, raising his weapon toward them.

At this point, Mark Meyers fired an M-16 round, and Oblak fired three shotgun rounds. Meyers' round caught the suspect in the chest, felling him backwards in the vestibule.

When the officers approached, they found him slumped over in a seated position, his hands near his groin and his gun on the floor near his hands.

Despite massive chest injuries, which would soon prove fatal, he was still trying to move.

Mark Meyers covered as Gonzalez entered the home, securing the suspect and his weapon.

Cpl. Makowski was air-lifted from Garden City Hospital to the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. Although he fought valiantly for his life, he died less than 10 hours after answering the 911 call that warned of a soon-to-be killing.

The officers nominated for this award, along with more than 15 others who responded to the tragic incident, epitomize what being a "police officer" really means. Without hesitation, they put themselves into a violent situation to protect the citizens of their community. Officers from surrounding communities immediately responded to the call for help from fellow officers in trouble. All of the officers worked as a team, disregarding their own well-being to do everything they could to save a downed brother officer.

For these reasons, the Police Officers Association of Michigan presents the following officers with its supreme honor, the 2007 Police Officer of the Year Award:

From the Dearborn Heights Police Department: a posthumous award to the late Corporal Jason Makowski, as well as to Police Sgt. Alfred Nason, Cpl. Kirk Myers, Cpl. Terry Beaudrie, Cpl. Mark Meyers, Cpl. John Oblak, Cpl. Bruce Cotton, Cpl. Jeffrey Ross, Officer Corey Smith, Officer Ruben Gonzalez.

From the Garden City Police Department: Sgt. Eric Zimmer.

~FROM POAM FALL 2007 PAPER.

WE MISS YOU JASON!

October 3, 2007

Jason, Your Mom just missed you so much. Please give her a long, deserved hug. Look after her up there in heaven. Tara, please dont look at this as another loss. Please try and think of this as extra angels( Jason,your Mom, and Dad ) on your shoulder. Cam, your grandma will alway be with you just like Daddy. Say your prayer and give your angel kisses. Every time the wind blows remember that they are giving you extra,extra,extra heaven kisses. Our prayers are alway with you.

Family Friend

September 25, 2007

Very sad to hear that your mother has passed.
RIP

September 20, 2007

Hi Jason-

It's been a while since my last reflection but I've visited this site everyday since 5-25-06. I think about you often, you've touched so many lives in so many different ways and it's hard to move past what happened to you. I hope you know that you will always be remembered and honored. I put together a memorial video and posted it on yje internet.
keep looking out for your friends, family and brothers at the DHPD---It's weird, as i'm sitting here writing this reflection to you I am looking up at your picture. I'm still wondering why you were taken away like that-It just don't make any sense. You probably already know this, but Ofcr. Myers dedicated his "TOP COP" award to you during National Police Week. He said that he wanted to dedicated it to the "real hero who couldn't be here tonight or any other night" He had your funeral program in one hand and the award in the other. You're missed so much by so many and you will neve be forgotten. R.I.P Jason.

Amy

September 7, 2007

I think about you everyday. Jason, please know that you're NEVER FORGOTTEN and you're missed so much.

August 24, 2007

I swear I see you every where. I miss you so much Jay. I wish I could just call you and talk to you. We did not end on the best of terms but you knew that nat and I loved you very much, We always looked forward to spending the weekends with you when we were kids. You guys gave us an amazing childhood and we are so thankful for that. Now that we are older and I have a child of my own I will take cammie along with me the way you did with us. He is an amazing boy and he looks so much like you. I will never forget you for as long as I live. U were apart of our family and I love you like family

Stacy
Family

August 22, 2007

Hey Jason--

I still can't believe it - it's been over a year and everything's still so fresh; it's still hard to accept. I visited your graveside today and just lost it. It still tears me apart to think about what happend. Everytime I come to this site and read a new reflection or re-read the old one's I just start crying. Jay- you will always be with us- FOREVER and we will always continue to honor you. weather it be with the memorial, t-shirts, stickers, keychains or patches - we'll always keep your name alive, your memory, your sacrifice.

When I got the call, last year, and they told me to get to Ann Arbor because you've been shot - I couldn't pull myself together and I regret that everyday. Jason, you were a great friend and I wish I would have told you that before. rest in peace my friend, I miss you....

friend

August 9, 2007

Jay and the guys at DHPD,
Jay I still can't believe it was you. You left us to protect others.
Hero: a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and nobel qualities.
Pretty much says it all.
When I was younger and having a hard time, a few guys from DHPD busted my chops. Or so I thought, they we really watching out for me. Jay, Al, Bob, Eddie, Mark thank you all for everything, you all made a huge differnce in my life. I am now an Auxiliary Police Officer, still working at full time. I was HONORED to work your funeral detail. With out guys like Jay and the others I mentioned who knows where I would be. THANK YOU ALL. Jay and DHPD is and will always be in my prayers. WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER #7.

Someone Jay inspired.

August 5, 2007

Hey Bro,

It's been a while and I just wanted to say that we are still thinkin about you. Seems like a day doesnt go by without some sort of reference or goofy "Mako" story to make us laugh. We have many "remember when" stories to share and seems like no one can hear enough of them. You are truly missed, your untimely death is still hard to swallow. It was just hours before the end of your shift early on the 24th that we were talking on the phone about you staying an hour over until 5am to try and prove an unrelated point to the boss. You may have not always been right, but damn could you stage a legitimate arguement on your behalf. Your strong will and dedication in friendship are what I miss most. You are forever missed and will not be forgotten. "7" on every new pd car, check it out.

Love you, bro

G
Dhpd

August 1, 2007

I stop by this page every day just to see your "mug" and I have been thinking a lot about you lately. Hope you're at peace my friend. I miss you....

friend

July 29, 2007

Hey Jason--
The other day other Michigan officer was killed in the line of duty. He's from the GRPD - The circumstances surrounding his death were so similar to the way you were taken from us. When I read what happened to him I thought of you right away. And he is also survived by a 3-year old child, parents and siblings...Things are getting crazy in this world. Officers Pila and Oblak responded to that barricaded gunman call in Garden City ---- everyone was so worried and we all thought of you....can't help but wonder if you helped your brothers out that night????

Jason, PLEASE continue to look out for us as we make it through each day - especially your brother officers - they could really use the help. Everyone is still wearing those black or black and blue wristbands, they still wear the memorial badges and everyone has the duplicate #7 badge on their uniform. You're thought about and prayed for constantly, we miss you, your friendship and your leadership. - - - I'm so sorry for what happened to you, the way you were taken away from us, from your family, from your son. It was way to soon....Rest in peace Jason and know that your NEVER FORGOTTEN!
http://makowski7.tripod.com/

FRIEND
http://makowski7.tripod.com/

July 11, 2007

Happy 4th of July Jay -- It's not the same without you. NEVER FORGOTTEN #7

July 4, 2007

Corporal Makowski -

I've hesitated leaving a reflection here for a long time, because I've always felt guilty over missing your funeral. I didn't know you, we weren't related, but we share a last name, and we both chose to become cops in Michigan.

I was on our dope team working undercover when you were taken, and didn't hear what had happened to you until after your funeral. I've been to cop funerals before, and seen brothers buried, but I've always felt bad that I didn't attend yours.

Simply know, though, that there are alot of times I put the uniform on, and head out, and suddenly, randomly realize that I'm not the only Makowski who's ever been a cop here in Michigan. Every now and then I read the reflections left here, and I can always sense the respect, admiration, and love of those who knew you.

You're an inspiration Jason - all of us who do this know that, some day, our names may end up on this site. You made that sacrifice, and all I can say is, from one Makowski to another, rest easy brother - you are clearly loved, missed, and will never be forgotten, even by those who didn't know you.

Deputy Michael Makowski
Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Dept.

June 25, 2007

Happy birthday Jason!

Amy Jishi

June 20, 2007