Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Rest in peace, your sacrifice will never be forgotten.........

Detective Edward Carlile
Northfield PD (OH)

April 24, 2011

Thank you for your service! Praying for your family and friends!

Cari Henley
Wife of Lewisville Police Detective

April 24, 2011

Thankyou for your service, you are a hero for us all to look up too. You will never be forgotten. God bless your family during these tragic events.

POLICE OFFICER
PHILA PA

April 24, 2011

God please grant security, understanding, and peace to the family, and friends left behind. Rest easy now my Brother in Law, your watch on earth is now over.......

Sgt. John L. Gulledge (Ret.)
Escambia CO Sheriff's Office Pensacola FL.

April 24, 2011

May you rest in peace my brother! We will take it from here. I know you will be watching us from above and I am sure you will be making jokes and laughing at us. You were a great officer and more importantly a great friend. You were always there to brighten the day and were there for me when things got rough.

You are truly a warrior with a gentle heart, always there for everyone and that is exactly what you were doing the night you left us...running to aid a fellow officer engaged in a gun battle. It was an honor to be your friend and an honor to work with you. You will be missed.

See you on the other side, my brother!

PSO Bruce Ott
KDPS

April 24, 2011

RIP Officer Zapata. Thank you for your service. May your family and friends find peace knowing that you will never be forgotten.

Detective Laura Price
Island County Sheriff

April 24, 2011

Rest in peace Officer Zapata. The Citizens of Kalamazoo have lost one of their own and it is a very very sad time. You answered the call to assist a fellow officer and gave the ultimate price when you confronted the suspect. I honor you as I do all your fellow officers and respect them for the job they do to protect our citizens each and every day. God bless you Eric and bless all our Public Safety Officers each and every day. God keep them safe.

Kalamazoo Citizen

April 24, 2011

Z

We lost a brother we lost a friend
It’ll take a while for our hearts to mend
He wore his badge with honor and pride
But when he passed his loved ones cried
We will honor him as he makes his last patrol
We will remain silent as the church bells toll
But one thing that we will never forget
Is the oath he took to serve and protect
He serves a higher power now as he guides us from above
as we open up our hearts, rejoice and gather in his love
04/23/2011

Anonymous

April 23, 2011

As a sworn Public Safety Officer for the City of Kalamazoo I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all: maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn, or ridicule: develop self-restraint: and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature, or that is confided to me in my official capacity will be kept secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duties.

I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a public trust to he held so long as I am true to the ethics of public safety service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession... PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER.

This was my partner, this was my friend.
Till I see you again God Bless

PSO EO Chris Kotecki
Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety

April 23, 2011

God Bless you sir.

Rick F.
Ret. CO

April 23, 2011

On behalf of the men and women of the Camillus Police Department, our deepest sympathies to the family, friends and co-workers of Public Safety Officer Eric Zapata. Rest in Peace Brother, We now have the Watch.

PBA
Town of Camillus Police Department, Central New York

April 23, 2011

Blessed our the peacemakers. God Bless Officer Zapata,his family and the Kalamazoo PD. May God watch over all of you.

Detective
Marietta Police Dept. GA

April 23, 2011

To my Friend and Colleage, and Zapata Family:

I well miss you very much, I well miss that Great Smile, I well miss the Great Pranks and Jokes you pulled from time to time. I Thank You for you service to your fellow colleagues, Myself,and the Citizens of Kalamazoo. You served them well,and with Honor. I Salute You.
To the Zapata Family: I offer my most Sincere Condolenes. Officer Erice Zapata was a memeber of our Brother and Sister Famliy, as you are now. My the Good Lord bless you and keep you in is loveing arms as start your next tour of duty in Heaven.
Rest in Peace my Brother

Retired: Gilbert J. Bos
Kal. Public Safety Fleet Mrg.

April 23, 2011

You have made the ULTIMATE sacrafice. Our thoughts and prayers go out to your family and agency. R.I.P., WE'LL TAKE IT FROM HERE !!!!

Officer Greg Zattau
Toledo Police Dept.

April 23, 2011

"Go rest high on that mountain cause son your work here on earth is done." (Vince Gill)

To our brothers and sisters at Kalamazoo Public Safety our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. Eric we'll take your watch from here. RIP.

To Eric's family hold tight to one another. Remember the good times and the love that Eric had for you all. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time, as well.

Ofc Lamsma
Muskegon City PD

April 22, 2011

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, REST IN PEACE.

N.J. TROOPER
NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE

April 22, 2011

EZ, thank you for your sacrifce. I take comfort in knowing that you will forever be watching over your brothers and sisters in blue.

While you are not physically here, your spirit, soul and memories will forever be.

RIP Brother

Joe Coleman Deputy
Kalamazoo County Sheriffs Department

April 22, 2011

Never knew you, but saying so many prayers for your family. Thank you for your ultimate sacrifice! You will always be a hero. God Speed!

Vicki
Portage, MI resident

April 22, 2011

Deepest Sympathy to the family, friends, and co-workers of Ofc Eric Zapata. My heart breaks to hear another LEO has lost his life to such a rising disrespect for Law Enforcement. For all who knew and loved Eric, you'll often have lonely heartaches, many silent tears, but, always a beautiful memory of the one you loved so dear. Those you love don't go away. They walk beside you everyday. Unseen, unheard but always near, still loved, still missed, still very dear.

Alicia
Grandville, MI

April 22, 2011

Rest in Peace my brother, your shift has ended, we will take it from here. Go patrol the streets of heaven and we will one day meet again.

Patrol Officer Jeff Wendt
Elmore PD Ohio

April 22, 2011

Officer Eric Zapata didn't lose his life, he GAVE his life. Thank you officer, and thank you to those who continue to run to danger for us.

Anonymous

April 22, 2011

E,
I will miss spending most of our golf time looking in the woods, ponds, and other fairways for your "anti-slice, anti-hook" golf balls, and allowing others to "play through" as you were determined to find your balls. I will especially miss the new math you created when adding your score and ALWAYS coming up with a "5". I thanked your family for allowing me to get to know you for the last 10 years; sitting and reflecting with them has been wonderful and helpful. They are giving us more comfort than we are giving them it seems.
I never tire of hearing of the countless times someone found pennies in their shoes, you being sent to a scene to translate spanish, and you arriving with your "how to speak spanish" book, or the hundreds of other practical jokes you pulled. My sons Vic and Darius laugh when they speak of you from the numerous softball games you played in and messed with them. Knowing you has enhanced my time at KDPS,THANK YOU BRUH!!
CRAWDOG(KENNEDY)will be your FTO and show you around the streets of Heaven. Love you!

Vic

Victor Ledbetter, Captain
Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety

April 22, 2011

God Bless Officer Zapata and his family. Lord watch over his children and help them to remember their dad for what he was....a hero.

Trooper
Michigan State Police

April 22, 2011

I love you Eric. I don't know how to thank you, but you are a true hero. God bless your family and KDPS.

PSO Jonathan Schipper
Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety

April 22, 2011

The loss of any officer is tragic. He gave his life protecting the public and we are forever grateful. I believe he also gave his life doing what he loved, as a person and a professional. May his family eventually find peace and comfort in their cherished memories of him. Our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, fellow officers, co-workers and the City of Kalamazoo. I pray he is at peace now.

A Kalamazoo Citizen

April 22, 2011