Official says bulletin is ‘relevant but not material to what happened’ to officers.
By Patrick M. O’Connell, South Bend Tribune
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Nearly one year before he allegedly shot and killed two Mishawaka police officers, Raymond Matthew Gilkeson reportedly said he would “blow any cop away that tries to take him in,” according to a Dec. 11, 2002, South Bend Police Department Crime Information Bulletin.
The report, marked for police officers only, urges officers who encounter Gilkeson to use “extreme caution.” A confidential informant told police about Gilkeson’s threat and that he reportedly was armed and selling crystal methamphetamine.
Despite the chillingly prophetic words in the report, spokesman Capt. Phil Trent of South Bend police cautioned against drawing too many conclusions based on the contents. Crime Information Bulletins, or CIBs, are reports frequently issued to officers, and it is unlikely that most officers, even those with steel-trap memories, would have remembered such a report from one year ago, Trent said.
Even if they had, the Mishawaka officers had no idea who they were dealing with at the time of the incident, so any information they might have had about Gilkeson would have been useless.
“It’s bitterly ironic that almost exactly to the day of the Mishawaka set of homicides -- almost exactly one year ago -- this guy allegedly makes good on a threat to kill police officers,” Trent said. “But ... it would not have done them any good if it would have been read at the roll call the night they were killed.
“This CIB is relevant but not material to what happened on that porch,” Trent said.
The Crime Information Bulletin on Gilkeson was issued because of an alleged Dec. 6, 2002, assault at the Boat Club in South Bend. Gilkeson’s mother reported that he was bipolar but refused to take medication, according to the CIB.
At the time of the report, Gilkeson was living in Roseland. Because the bulletin was issued from a location different from that in Saturday’s shootings, there would have been very little reason for Mishawaka officers to take serious note of it or remember the report.
“If it had said something about Sarah Street or Broadway in Mishawaka, then maybe the red flags would go up,” Trent said.
Trent said “dozens and dozens” of messages come across police communications during any given day, so the volume of information is enormous. Crime Information Bulletins are read aloud at each department’s roll call and distributed to other area law enforcement agencies.
Trent describes CIBs as an “interoffice memo for police officers.”
When he first heard of the Mishawaka shootings, the name Raymond Matthew Gilkeson did not ring a bell for Trent.
“When I heard Mr. Gilkeson’s name, I can guarantee you that I didn’t say, ‘Oh, God, that’s the guy who was in the Crime Information Bulletin issued 12-11-02.’ ”
How to help:
A fund has been established at MFB Financial branches for financial contributions to the families of the slain officers. The address of the main office in Mishawaka is:
MFB Financial
121 S. Church St.
Mishawaka, IN 46544
Phone: (574) 255-3146
How you can help:
Mishawaka, Ind. Mayor Robert Beutter said the city’s flags have been moved to half-staff and he urges businesses and residents to do the same.
He also said citywide holiday flags will be replaced with American flags out of respect for the two officers killed in the line of duty early Saturday.
Residents can show support by adding blue lights to their Christmas window decorations.
The two officers’ patrol cars are parked in front of the Mishawaka police station, at 200 N. Church St.
Residents may show respect by placing cards, flowers or any mementos near the vehicles, Beutter said.
South Bend police Capt. Phil Trent echoed Beutter’s comments, urging county and South Bend residents to show respect by flying their flags at half-staff.