South Bend Police Department Press Release

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The fifth annual COPS (Concerns Of Police Survivors) bike ride through Indiana will visit the SBPD headquarters today, June 26, 2007, at 4:00 PM. The ride will halt in front of the police memorial in the front of 701 W. Sample where this years riders will be happy to speak with interested members of the public and media.

The ride is conducted to both raise money for the survivors of officers killed in the line of duty and to pay tribute to fallen officers. The South Bend Police Department was chosen as a stop again this year as we have lost another officer in the last 12 months.

All memebers of the commmunity are invited to attend.

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At 7:57 PM on this date, the South Bend Police emergency communications center received a call of a body found in an unattached garage in the rear of 602 N. Euclid Avenue in the City. The address is that of a vacant property.

Officers and medics arrived and found the body of a Female African-American on the floor of the garage. The body had been discovered by a neighbor who had been out walking his dog. He was also the individual that called police. The St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit was called as the manner of the female's death is undetermined and they are on the scene now handling the investigation.

At this time, the identity of the female is unknown nor is it known exactly how long she had been in the garage.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Metro Homicide Unit at 574.235.5009 or Crime Stoppers at 574.288.STOP.

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The South Bend Police Department would like to announce that two arrests have been made in a string of arson fires that have occured in the City. Arson investigators began noting a pattern in several fires beginning in April of 2007. Three small fires at the Park Jefferson Apartments, as well as other un-attached garage fires in the area are being examined as part of this ring.

The individuals arrested are:

William O. Glover, male, age 18 of South Bend. Arrest charge: 4 counts, Arson, Class B Felony;

David A. Opfer, male, age 18 of South Bend. Arrest Charge: 5 counts, Arson, Class B Felony.

At least one additional suspect is being saught at this time in connection with the arsons. Additional area fires are being examined for possible connections to these individuals.

The cases have been forwarded to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor for review however the investigation is ongoing.

The Investigators in these cases are:

Sgt. Harvey Mills of the South Bend Police Department and Captain Robert Brechtl of the South Bend Fire Department. Anyone with Additional information on these serial crimes can call the Arson Bureau at 574-235-9300 or Crime Stoppers at 574-288-STOP.

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The following route will be used for the funeral procession of T/Sgt. Ryan Balmer on Thursday, June 14, 2007. The Air Force Sgt. was killed in Iraq on June 5th. The procession will begin moving at approximately 12:30 PM.

Start: Clay United Methodist Church, 17646 Cleveland Rd. (Cleveland Rd. and Swanson Dr.)

Cleveland Rd., westbound;
Ironwood Dr., southbound;
Jefferson Blvd., westbound;
Twyckenham Dr., southbound;
Lincoln Way East, westbound;
Miami St., southbound;
Kern Rd., westbound;
U.S. 31 into Southlawn Cemetery.