Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Trooper Fields, I got to know you through one of your daughters. I applauded her, just a few minutes ago, as an achievement was recognized by her peers. You can be very proud of the woman she’s become.

Thank you for your service to the people of Michigan. May God grant you eternal rest and may His perpetual light shine upon you.

Sgt. KW Moreland
Arapahoe Community College (retired LAPD)

July 2, 2023

When I was 13, I was on Real Stories of the Highway Patrol(1993).. I believe he was there that night, the thing I remember the most was being told “Don’t run, cuz my partner is the fastest person I know” I had no intentions of running but I can still picture his face as I looked at him, he looked at me like “I dare you to try me” lol I can’t find that episode anywhere but I remembered his name and I also remember when he passed.. He was extremely nice to me as they took me to Foote Hospital for a psych eval, due to my evil step mom.. he didn’t treat me like I was crazy and I appreciated that. My condolences to the family.

Meranda White

March 11, 2023

Hey Mannie, I have recently been flooded with memories of you as I have an aunt who doesn’t want to give up driving but should. I used our loss of you as why she should. That prompted me to remember all the times you touched my life. I knew you as a trooper and friend. You are evidence that the good die young. You are not forgotten.

D/Lt Clif Edwards (retired)
Michigan State Police

January 4, 2023

Uncle Manuel I really miss you. You were an integral part of my world from the day I entered the earth. We lived together for the first ten years of my life. I remember when you used to work at the YMCA and you would take me with you. I remember your awful dance moves...LOL. I remember you being there for the big moments in my life. I remember when you became a State Trooper and got stationed in Jackson, MI and you moved away. I remember when I used to visit you. I remember your sternness and I remember your generosity. I remember when you became a Father for the first time although you were always a father figure to me. I remember always wanting to make you proud because I was so proud of you. I remember how loving and gentle you were with both of your daughters. There was nothing that you did half-way. You put your all into everything you did. You were excellence personified. I learned so much from you. You were my role-model and hero. I remember our last conversation. I was upset because you didn't come to my high school graduation, and you simply asked me "Did you invite me?" I told you about my plans to go into the Air Force and you were a little disappointed because you wanted me to go to college. I wanted to go to college as well but I didn't want my mom to be responsible for paying for it. She was going through a tough time and I didn't want to be a burden so I decided to go into the Air Force and allow the military to pay for my education. On the day of Aug 27th, 1994 I had been hanging out with Auntie Gwennie all day. I remember feeling like I needed to go home, and I kept asking her to take me home. I didn't really understand it at the moment but I just had this overwhelming urge to go home. She finally took me home. I was in my room and I was writing in my journal about my day. I had started keeping a journal once I decided to go into the military as I waited for my start date. The phone rang and on the other line was a woman asking to speak to my mom, I didn't recognize her voice. I yelled downstairs for my mother to get the phone. I hung up the other phone and went back to writing in my journal. Suddenly, I heard a piercing scream coming from downstairs. I ran down to see what was wrong only to find my mom crying and she said that you were gone... My heart stopped. I had just spoken to you a few days prior and I kept hearing the disappointment in your voice about my choice to join the military playing in my head. I tried to be strong for my mom. She informed me to make the hard phone calls to my aunts. Before long the whole family had gathered at our house as shock and grief gripped us all. You were the baby of the family...the youngest of your siblings. You were the one that had done all that you set out to do. You were our hero. You had a lovely service....we were amazed at the honor that was bestowed upon you that day. In classic Fields fashion we had a Memorial Service as well, a beautiful intimate gathering. I was still grappling with the thought that you left this earth disappointed in a decision that I was making about my future. At the memorial service your dear friend Marion "affectionately known as Body" came to me and said "Manuel told me that you are going to the Air Force", I put my head down and responded , "Yes". Body continued, "He was so proud of you and your decision". That small interchange of words set me free. I was able to join the military without having a cloud of guilt looming over my head. I had a successful 13 year career in the Air Force. Although so many years have past, you are always in my thoughts. I still desire to make you proud. I often talk to my daughters about you. I wish they would have had the opportunity to meet you. I love you dearly and deeply! I know that I will see you again.
Your Niece,
Shannon

Shannon Fields
Niece

June 27, 2022

I love you Manny. Did then and always will. Thinking of you …

Sher
Friend

August 28, 2021

Rest in peace Trooper Fields.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis

February 20, 2021

Manuel I think about you often, yet had no idea this page existed until I decided to Goggle your name this morning.
You are not forgotten! I am so very thankful to have had you for one of my very very best friends. A true gentleman,; honorable, respectful, integral, honest, and a sincere confidant. There’s not one negative thing I can say about you and I never had a bad time in your presence. To know you is to love you, for there’s nothing fake about you. You had a great sense of humor and a smile that continues to warm my heart. Rest well soldier ♥️
Continual prayers of love to your family

Christine Veal
Friend

February 17, 2021

Rest in peace always knowing that your service and sacrifice will never, ever be forgotten by your law enforcement brethren.

Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo
Delaware State Police (Retired)

August 27, 2020

This was a wonderful man. I met him on his first day in the Jackson Michigan State Police. He had the biggest smile I've ever seen & I named him smiles that day. He saved my brother's life a few months after that. The day he died I remember setting there hearing it come across the police scanner and praying it wasn't one of my troopers. Later that nigh another Trooper stopped by with some paperwork & told us the horrible news it broke my heart. Smiles was a wonderful man and a good Trooper I never met his family but he always talked about them with a smile.

Barbara Fullerton
Ralph's towing

June 6, 2020

Eip unkle manuel. We love an miss you. Sorry i didnt get to come to your funeral because i was in the wcj fighting a case that would send me to prison for 1n 1995. To later dwn the line overhear a convo of a man from jackson mi braging on how he got away with a hit an run involving a police officer. He was an habitual drunk driver w no license an he had his mother take the blaim. He even said it was some black guy.. You kno i represented the eastside of detroit for you on him.. Unk you always was a. Honorable man and unkle. You were always telling me to change my life an do the right thing an i regret if i didnt get the chance to show you how much i have changed.. Me geting in trouble in prison cost me 5 moreyrs of prison but it was worth it for you i never had a chance to tell you that i do love you an no im not a bad guy i just like to get that money. I didnt find out you were dead untill oct 31 1994 wen my mama tell me after everything was over. Even tho i remember seing somthing on tv in jail but didnt realize it was you.. I heard you had a beautiful funeral an all your brothers in blue escorted the whole family on the freeway from det to jackson. I would of been honored to be there for you if they would of said somthing i could of got to go to the funeral. I still mad at family for that.. But i did attend a ceromony wen i got out in 2006. An met alot of wonderful friends. And to this day wen i get pulled over i always talk w a trooper an let him kno that we are family.. I love msp. Im proud of you an you was always my hero an role model. I wish i could of been in your shoes an be a hero an do somthin rite. But i still bein markco.. Well i just wanted to get that of my chest an tell you i love you an ill see you one day.. Tell grandaddy i love him an granny auntie judy an jackie an unkle mike. Damn yall leavin me these days but it makes me stay out of trouble cause i dnt want to miss my mom funeral if somthin ever happens to her so i dnt do. Nothin well peace n love

Demarkco fields Bey. Nephew
Nephew

September 1, 2019

Trooper Fields,
On today, the 25th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for the citizens of the state of Michigan. And to your Family and loved ones, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.

R.I.P.
USBP

Anonymous
United States Border Patrol

August 27, 2019

Rest in love Manuel, I think about you often.

Joell Harris
My brother"s football brother

July 26, 2016

Dear Manny,

Now you are with God.

We miss you here on Earth.

All love,
Pete

Pete
admirer/friend

December 9, 2015

Dearest Manny,

I always dread this date, August 27. I can hardly believe its been 21 years! You'll always be 34 in my mind. I always read your story and think about if only's. If only that old lady hadn't been out driving. If only you hadn't been working overtime. If only you hadn't stopped that car. All I can conclude is no matter how much we loved you here on earth, God loved you best. I'm happy to know that you are with Him and that someday I'll see each other again. Rest in eternal peace.

n/a
Personal Friend

August 27, 2015

I don't know you or your family, but your memory lives on and is imparted to others through you brother, rat734. Rest well.

RyanFL
www.advrider.com

August 26, 2015

Almost 21 years Brother. I miss you CB

F/Lt MK Fulcher (retired)
Washtenaw County Sheriff

August 25, 2015

Twenty years ago today I lost a Brother

Manny’s Funeral

I worked undercover narcotics for over three years. For most of those years Manny worked out of the same office but on a different Team. I was on the Crack Attack Team (CAT) and Manny was part of a team involved in long term investigations. His team went after the big fish and mine snagged the corner dealers.

We often worked together if either team needed surveillance or raid entry help. We had been through the shit together, Manny and I.

There was this one time…

My team had made a controlled purchase of an ounce of cocaine and needed some help with the Search Warrant raid. The location was a long row of tenement housing on a large root farm. Some Hispanic non-English speaking fellas had sold the dope to one of our paid informants.

COP INFO: A Controlled Purchase works like this. You meet with and strip search the Informant. Next you supply the informant with pre-recorded cash funds. Then you drive the Informant to the target location and watch as he enters. You have to maintain surveillance continually while the informant is “Up and In” the target location. When the Informant returns he hands you the dope. You then drive the Informant from the area and strip search him again. Through this process you can write an affidavit for a Search Warrant and testify before a Judge that money went in and dope came out.

This will get you a Search Warrant to enter the Target location. Glamorous ain’t it.

Lesson over, back to the past…

Manny’s self chosen undercover name was CB or Chocolate Bunny.

I bump CB on the side freq to see if his team was available to help out on the farm raid. They were so we schedule a meet up not far from the farm. I do the pre-raid briefing and make the entry assignments. I place CB right in line with me. We load up, armed to the teeth. Manny had climbed into the Chevrolet Astro van with me. There are five of us piled in the van. We all wear black raid entry gear. Shamu has the ram right beside of him. Pepper is on shotgun and riding shotgun. Flash has the entry shield. We are shoulder to shoulder as the tension settles in. The jokes begin. The tension builds as the driver says, “One mile out”.

I suddenly realize that the suspects might not understand our raid entry orders and ask, “Any of you fuckers speak Spanish”?

Manny says “I got this”.

I asked him if he was sure because I’d never heard him speak any Spanish in the years I‘d known him.

Manny nodded his head, “Rat, I got this”.

So we roll up and bail out into the darkness. Shamu destroys the door with the ram and steps aside. The team enters and I see about half a dozen subjects in the first room.

Manny yells, “No Fumar Gracias Por Favor Triple Sec La Pinata”.

Well like I said I don’t speak Spanish but I was pretty sure that wasn’t “Get down before we shoot you”.

I look over at Manny and he’s laughing his head off.

I look at the perps and repeat, “No Fumar Gracias Por Favor Triple Sec La Pinata”.

They seem confused.

LAST GOODBYE

Manny was rotating back to road patrol. His years of undercover assignment was coming to an end. He would leave behind the deals and doors and Trojan horse ops. He would return to a life of traffic accidents and taking any complaint the radio dished out.

He was in the office cleaning out his desk when I last saw him.

Lucky for me I took the time to have a long conversation with CB. We laughed and remembered some of the best. There were several “Remember when” moments between us. We spoke openly. Manny told me what it meant to him to be a Michigan State Trooper. I told him I already knew that.

My team was on the way out the door and I had to go. If I would have only known that was the last time I would see Manny.

I hugged him goodbye and wished him luck on the streets.

Manny got killed not long after that night. He made a traffic stop on I-94 and was dealing with that when some 80 year old woman crossed the fog line and struck him. He died instantly next to his patrol car and she drove home. She would later claim that she thought she had struck a deer. Bitch shouldn’t have been driving.

The funeral and aftermath.

I don’t go to Cop funerals unless I have to. I have been to three, all brothers.

Manny’s funeral was an intense journey for me. All of the team members were in attendance at his grave side as the bagpiper played Amazing Grace. Tears streamed down my face as I stood at rigid attention. On a nearby hill a single figure stepped forward and played Taps. I can remember it all…

On the way home most of my team stopped into a roadside bar and grill which was filled with trucker types. One of those worn red paint joints with a huge wooden bar fumed with the aroma of beer. A good place for greasy burgers and cold beer.

An ugly darkness had overtaken us. Our emotions were raw and nerves exposed. As I look back I think it was because we had all been through so much with CB and for him to get killed in such an unfair way. We had nobody to hate.

We drank too much, we were rude and loud. We spoiled for a fight with anyone. Within hours we were all kicked out of the bar.

Cops can be assholes like that.

F/Lt. Michael Fulcher (Retired)
Washtenaw County Sheriff

August 27, 2014

To fully appreciate the heroes of the present, we must recognize our heroes of the past. Your heroism and service is honored today, the 19th anniversary year of your death. I am priviliged to leave a tribute to you. Your memory lives and you continue to inspire. Thank you for your service. My cherished son Larry Lasater was a fellow police officer who was murdered in the line of duty on April 24, 2005 while serving as a Pittsburg, CA police officer.

Time never diminishes respect. Your memory will always be honored and revered. Rest In Peace.

I pray for the solace of all those that love and remember you for I know both the pain and pride are forever. Thanks to your family and friends for sharing their devotion to you through their reflections.

Phyllis Lasater Loya
mom of fallen Pittsburg (CA) officer Larry Lasater

April 17, 2013

Monica: please tell us the woman involved in your fathers death was brought to justice.
Please accept my condolences. May he RIP!

Some paying his respects.
A citizen of the state of Michigan

March 21, 2013

Dear dad,
there isnt a day that goes by that I dont miss you , I will never forget about you I know you are still with me everyday. The family misses you too :) I always laugh when mom tells me funny stories of you, I see where I get my funny personaility from. I know you are safe with God and peaceful keep watching over us . Love you forever and always.
Monica <3

Monica Stafford
Daughter

August 26, 2012

Dear Manny,

I still grieve for you. Every time I read about the loss of a peace office I think of you too. I still miss you. I still wish we had made different choices. I still wish you were here.

I believe that as long as someone thinks of you, you will be alive forever. I want you to know that you will never be forgotten, especially by me.

Love you still. Love you always.

NA
Personal Friend

July 3, 2011

Manny

I remember…

A long conversation with you as you left LAWNET to return to Patrol. Our time together was coming to an end. Our days of wearing wires and busting down doors, street buys, trojan Horse Ops and danger.

Our time of laughter and Brotherhood.

We talked openly that night. You told me how much being a Trooper meant to you. I already knew that. It was the last time we spoke.

I miss you CB,

Rat

F/Lt Michael Fulcher Retired
Washtenaw County Sheriff

February 16, 2011

Merry Christmas, Manny, to you and your family.
Thank you for your sacrifice.

May God's peace be with you this holiday season!

Trooper
Michigan State Police

December 14, 2010

Dear Manny,
It seems like every August is when I think of you most though you come to mind throughout the year. I guess that's why I'm here now.

We attended Wayne State University together. You were always such a good friend! I remember the one time we tried to turn us into something more but let's just say it was a failed, though nice attempt! LOL

I can still see you pulling up in your beat up car with your tight lipped smile the chipped tooth before you fixed it. We always had great laughs. You may be the only guy I've ever talked so much with on the phone.

I remember when you told me that you were in school to be a State Trooper and how fearful I was of that. I remember when you got married; I still have the 8 * 10 of your little girl you were so proud of.

I remember when one of our friends told me that you died. I had lost track of you. I didn't know. Then I recalled that I had heard it, but even then I told myself that it wasn't you. Not ever in my life had I ever blocked something out. Yet hearing that you died was more than I could take.

I am glad that you were my friend. I am happy that we shared our special moments. I am glad that I can say that I know for sure that you were a great man. I know your reasons for wanting to be a Trooper. You wanted to serve. You wanted to help people. I know you died doing what you love. You will always be my friend. You always be someone I will always love. You have and will always remain in my heart. I miss you and I love you.

Personal Friend

August 16, 2009

Trooper Fields, we remember you on this 14 year anniversary of your LODD. Thank you for serving on the thin blue line, and please watch over those very special men and women who proudly serve with the MSP today. What a special family they are! Rest peacefully; you have not been forgotten.

Michigan citizen

August 27, 2008