Police Officer Floyd Harold "Bernie" Swartz

Floyd Harold "Bernie" Swartz

Officer Swartz was shot in the throat and killed while attempting to arrest a murder suspect. Officer Swartz and other officers were attempting to coax the suspect from a hiding spot, in dense weeds behind a residential area, when the suspect opened fire. Five hours later the suspect surrendered to officers.

The suspect was wanted for stabbing to death a 19 year old girl that he and another man abducted from her home four nights earlier. He was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to death. As of 1999, the suspect had exhausted all of his appeals and now awaits his execution on San Quentin's death row.

Officer Swartz had served with the agency for 10 years. He was survived by his three children.