SOUTH BEND – South Bend FOP Lodge No. 36 will host its annual corn roast and scholarship drive for fallen officers on Saturday, Aug. 17.
The ride begins at 3 p.m., registration begins at noon, both at the South Bend Police Department, 701 W. Sample St. The corn roasting will be from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. at FOP Lodge No. 36, 25327 Indiana 23, where the ride ends.
Every year, the Fraternal Order of Police organizes a motorcycle ride to honor fallen police officers and to raise money for a scholarship fund it manages.
This year’s event honors Cpl. Nick Polizzotto, who was shot and killed on April 24, 2007, while responding to a shooting call at the Wooden Indian Motel, which was demolished in 2018. Patrolman Michael Norby was also shot while responding to the incident with Polizzotto.
According to an April 2007 Tribune article, officers arrived at the door of 45-year-old Scott Barnaby’s room and spoke with him for 10 to 15 seconds before he suddenly began shooting. Barnaby was allegedly randomly shooting at signs near a local nightclub before officers arrived, the article said. Officers Jim Sweeney and Nick Zarate arrived shortly afterward and returned fire on Norby, the article said. Barnaby died of a gunshot wound to the head, confirmed St. Joseph County Deputy Coroner Chuck Hurley.
Barnaby’s younger brother Chris later confirmed in a May 2007 article that Barnaby had a history of mental illness and his life often spiraled out of control when he stopped taking his medication. Barnaby had a serious drug problem and paranoid schizophrenia, diagnosed in his early 30s, the article said. Chris said his brother’s mental illness should have been enough to keep him from buying a gun.
Authorities said at the time that officers David Newton and Antoine Jones carried Polizzotto from the second floor of the motel to the emergency rooms on Lincoln Way East. At the hospital, he was pronounced dead. Polizzotto died from a gunshot wound to the upper body, Hurley said. The officers were wearing bulletproof vests, but the bullets penetrated an area of the vest where Polizzotto was not protected, authorities said. Norby was wounded by a gunshot wound to the right shoulder, the article said.
The April 2007 article described Polizzotto as a smart and outstanding officer who other officers could rely on. South Bend Police Chief, Lieutenant and then-FOP chairman Scott Ruszkowski said Polizzotto was the first to help. For example, before his death, Polizzotto planned a charity poker tournament for the FOP.
FOP President Joshua Morgan described the ride as a memorial ride for all 15 officers who died between 1897 and 2007.
All riders receive a t-shirt and admission to the corn roast, including food and drinks. The corn roast, which costs $15 for non-riders, features live music, family-friendly activities and as much corn, pork, sausage, beans and coleslaw as you want. Proceeds from the corn roast are used to fund FOP’s annual programs, including Santa’s Elficers and other FOP events.
Money raised through the ride goes toward the FOP’s scholarship fund to support the education of college students. Lodge #36 will select scholarships from the children of its FOP members who will graduate from high school in the 2024-2025 school year to help them finance their chosen career path. The scholarships will be awarded to current high school graduates at the police department’s memorial service for fallen officers in May 2025. In 2024, the FOP awarded scholarships to four students, Officer Brian Meador said.
When you go
■ What: Scholarship trip for fallen officers and annual corn roasting
■ When: Saturday, August 17. The ride starts at 3 p.m. Registration begins at noon. Corn roasting will be from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
■ Where: The ride begins at the South Bend Police Department, 701 W. Sample St., and ends at the FOP Lodge #36, Indiana 23, 25327. The corn roasting will take place at the FOP.
■ Cost: $25 for driver and $40 for driver and passenger. The cost of the corn roast alone is $15.
■ To register: Participants can register via Eventbrite or register in person.
Email Tribune editor Camille Sarabia at [email protected].
