Honor Guard

The Grand Haven Department of Public Safety Honor Guard is a ceremonial unit of active duty officers from the department. This five member unit is trained to provide military honors at funerals for West Michigan police officers who die in the line of duty, retired public safety officers and to provide ceremonial services including guard duty.

The Honor Guard can carry out various missions including color guard details, ceremonial firing details, precision rifle inspection routine, and casket details including flag fold duties. The Honor Guard is under the direction of Officer James Albright, and under the command of the Administrative Lieutenant.

One common bond shared by all Public Safety officers throughout the country, whether they are a member of a local, county, state, or federal agency, is that of a “family”. There is no other family in the world like that shared among Public Safety officers. Only they truly know the dangers that encompass their occupation, only they truly know the threat to their lives each time they put on their uniform, and only they truly know the reasons why they fight what others fear.

Our increasingly violent society brings with it increasing possibilities of an officer being injured or killed in the line of duty. Unfortunately, no matter how many precautions are taken by Public Safety Officers, no matter how much protective equipment they carry, no matter how much training they undergo, injury and even death are inevitable within the profession.

Each year, the death toll among Public Safety Officers climbs. With every death of an officer, each and every member of the Public Safety family feels the pain and grief. However, no matter how violent the society may become or how difficult the job may get, Public Safety Officers throughout the nation know that they may count on each other in their time of need.

We, the members of the Grand Haven Public Safety Department, take the passing of an officer very seriously and feel it very deeply, whether the officer was killed in the line of duty or dies after serving a community for years with pride, integrity, and loyalty. 

The Grand Haven Department of Public Safety established an Honor Guard to pay tribute to, provide care for, and pay respect to those officers who have died in the line of duty as well as those who have come before us and to demonstrate to the community, state, and the nation that the men and women of this department are proud, loyal, dedicated officers of integrity. Comprised of full-time officers, the Honor Guard was established in 2004.

Current members of the Honor Guard include: Officer Lee Adams, Officer James Albright,  Officer Ryan Enlow, Officer Tom Jones, Officer James Kibart, Officer Kyle Kolka.