Lester J. Barden

Patrolman Barden suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after responding to an emergency call at a restaurant. When he arrived at the scene of the call, he encountered a man suffering a heart attack, and he proceeded to work on the man for several minutes until medical units arrived. After returning to his vehicle, he began to feel ill and, knowing he was suffering a heart attack, requested that he be taken to Blodgett Memorial Medical Center. While being transported to the hospital, he suffered a second heart attack and died. Patrolman Barden had served with the Kentwood Police Department for eight years, was assigned to the E-Unit, and was the police department's first licensed EMT. He was responsible for creating the department's E-Unit.