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south bend police department link to homepage

701 W Sample St
South Bend, IN
46601

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(574) 235-9201

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Digital Communications and Media Liaison:
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(574) 235-7527
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75

South Bend Police Department

**DO NOT report crimes on our page. Call 911 for emergencies. For non-emergencies, call 574-235-9201

South Bend Police Department

4 hours ago

Brad Fritz still isn’t sure why his heart stopped beating on that unseasonably warm afternoon this past December.

In fact, most of his memory of that day has escaped him.

It was just two days before Christmas and Brad was hard at work, helping run fiber lines along S. Lafayette Boulevard – less than a block away from the South Bend Police Department.

He doesn’t remember feeling ill and he certainly doesn’t remember falling to the ground. But he did… and that’s where our story begins.

South Bend Police Officer Alex Paczesny was driving along Lafayette when he spotted a man sprawled out on the pavement. He was lying on his back and was wearing an orange work vest.

It was Brad.

Officer Paczesny hopped out of his patrol vehicle and ran toward Brad. He didn’t have a pulse.

Officer Paczesny called for medics while trying to assess Brad’s condition. As Officer Paczesny began CPR, a few of Brad’s co-workers, who were working just up the road, sprinted over to see what happened.

And a few more of our officers showed up, too – specifically Officers Kyle Brownfield and JT Hooks.

Officer Brownfield rushed over with his AED and attached the pads to Brad’s chest. Less than two minutes after arriving on-scene, Officer Brownfield’s AED delivered a shock to Brad’s heart.

As medics from the South Bend Fire Department began to arrive, Officers Paczesny and Hooks continued CPR until the SBFD took over to render additional aid.

Eventually, medics were able to help stabilize Brad, place him on a stretcher and load him in the back of an ambulance.

And as the ambulance drove off, Officers Paczesny, Brownfield and Hooks were dispatched to their next call, attempting to push aside the heaviness of what just occurred.

Police officers often wonder what happens next to the people they help. Rarely do they hear the outcome.

Even a few weeks later, while receiving their official South Bend Police Department Lifesaving Awards, the officers weren’t sure how Brad was doing. Was he still alive? Did he pull through?

So, we called his wife.

To our delight and relief, Brad’s wife, Elizabeth, told us the news we were all hoping to hear: Brad was OK. In fact, he was more than OK. He had just returned to work at Martell Electric, doing the same kind of work he was doing the day he went into cardiac arrest.

Brad spent about a week in the hospital, including Christmas Day, recovering and regaining strength. Doctors didn’t have a concrete answer for why his heart stopped beating – Brad was overall in good health. He just had a checkup a few weeks before the incident. Doctors at the hospital suspected his genetics may have played a role.

Before we hung up the phone with Elizabeth – she had a question of her own. Could she and Brad meet the officers who saved his life?

So, today, a little more than six weeks after Brad’s medical emergency, Brad walked into the South Bend Police Department and joined 2nd Detail Officers for roll call.

Surrounded by several of his family members, including his wife and daughter, Brad thanked Officers Paczesny, Brownfield and Hooks for saving his life. One by one, each officer, even ones who weren’t on the original call, shook Brad’s hand and gave him a hug.

“You look a lot better than the last time I saw you,” one of the officers joked.

After roll call, Brad’s family and the officers chatted, realizing how lucky Brad actually was on December 23, 2025.

Lucky because he went down directly near the back road leading to the police department. That’s likely why Officers Paczesny saw him.

Lucky because he wasn’t lying on the ground for long – his co-workers had just seen him up and moving a few minutes prior.

Lucky because Officer Brownfield was less than a minute away, offering additional help with his AED.

Lucky because none of the officers gave up on CPR – they kept going until medics took over.

To show their appreciation, Brad’s family brought in lunch for the entire shift today, expressing their gratitude to our officers and their willingness to jump in when seconds truly counted.

As we wrap up this story – we have one request: get CPR certified. While our officers have saved countless lives, more CPR-certified people in our community = better outcomes for everyone.

Click the link in the comment section to find a CPR class near you.
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South Bend Police Department

1 day ago

For most of us, this morning's brief but intense snowfall was simply just an inconvenience—it forced us to, once again, break out our snow brushes and (hopefully) drive a bit slower to work.

But for one resident, the snow created a dangerous predicament. A woman was attempting to navigate her wheelchair down S. Michigan Street, but the fresh snowfall on the road and sidewalk made it nearly impossible—and risky—to get from point A to point B.

Officers Sienna Sears and Matthew Winter were called to check on the woman—a passerby had called SBPD, concerned for her welfare.

Recognizing the hazardous conditions, Officers Sears and Winter devised a plan to get her to her destination safely.

Officer Sears offered to push the woman up the road to where she needed to go. But… due to the heavy snow on the sidewalk, they had to stay on the street. So…Officer Winter followed them in his patrol vehicle to ensure they stayed safe for the entire half-mile journey.

The reason you're reading this story isn't because the officers mentioned it to their supervisors… or anyone, really.

It's because someone who works along their route of travel happened to look out her office window as the officers went by… and decided to write an email to our Chief's Office to thank them. (Shout out to Rose!)

While these types of things happen every day, it's nice to see the recognition.

Have a wonderful weekend, South Bend. 🫶
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South Bend Police Department

1 day ago

An update from Indiana State Police regarding this morning's AMBER Alert out of Starke County: ⬇
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