Thursday, March 28, 2024

Connect with us:

Calumet City police officer dies while on duty

Highly-decorated department veteran Adam Zieminski served Calumet City for 22 years

By Josh Bootsma

CALUMET CITY, Ill. (December 7, 2020) – Calumet City Police announced Police Officer Adam Zieminski died due to a medical emergency while on duty on the morning of December 7.

“Officer Adam Zieminski suffered a medical emergency while transporting a detainee to the Markham courthouse. The detainee alerted nearby Cook County Sheriff’s officers, who quickly responded with life-saving efforts, before he was transported to South Suburban Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased,” Calumet City Police said in a press release.

The 49-year-old officer received the Calumet City Police Department’s Lifesaving Award twice and was also named Officer Of The Year. According to the department, Zieminski served many roles including Field Training Officer, Firearms Instructor, Evidence Technician, Drug Enforcement Agency Task Force Officer, and member of the department’s Tactical Unit.

“He received several commendations in May 2014, when he was hailed as a hero after saving a six-month-old baby from a burning building. Without hesitation, Officer Zieminski rushed into a burning building after hearing a mother scream that her baby was still inside. He ran in, crawled to a bed where the baby laid and rushed the infant out the door to safety. Though Officer Zieminski suffered smoke inhalation, the baby made a full recovery,” the press release said.

Zieminski was also recognized for responding to a situation where a man was being attacked by several large dogs. “At considerable risk to his own personal safety, Officer Zieminski confronted the dogs after other attempts to have them disperse were unsuccessful. He discharged his weapon at the attacking dogs and the victim was treated for injuries that could have proved life-threatening if not for his intervention. As a result of those and other actions, he was named the department’s 2015 Officer Of The Year,” the press release said.

Calumet City Police said throughout his career, Zieminski’s service was recognized by the Calumet City Mayor and City Council, Governor of Illinois, surrounding police agencies, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8141, Calumet City Lions Club, and the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police. The department also said Zieminski would help deliver Christmas presents to Calumet City families as part of the department’s Santa Toy Run.

Zieminski started his policing career in 1997 with the Burnham Police Department. He joined Calumet City in 1999. “He came from a law enforcement family, as his father and uncle were both Chicago Police officers. In addition, his brother retired from the Calumet City Police Department and his nephew is currently a Calumet City Police Officer,” the department press release said.

Zieminski was a T.F. North graduate and is survived by two daughters.

The visitation will be on Sunday, December 13, 2020, from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. with a Celebration of Life service to be held at 3:00 p.m. at Smits Funeral Home, located at 2121 Pleasant Springs Lane, Dyer, IN.

Josh Bootsma
Josh Bootsma
Josh is Managing Editor at The Lansing Journal and believes in the power and purpose of community news. He covers any local topics—from village government to theatre, from business openings to migratory birds.

1 COMMENT

  1. I can’t help but think how brave it was the for detainee to alert the authorities to the officer’s illness. Don’t know all the circumstances surrounding the detainee, but I hope his efforts are taken into consideration when he goes before the judge. It is a matter of life.

    Peace be to you.

Comments are closed.