Woodbury Cop Looks To Help Fallen Officer Organizations

Woodbury police officer Tony Ofstead has seen first-hand the steep price police officers have paid simply for doing their jobs.

Ofstead, an 11-year veteran of the , was dispatched to the east side of St. Paul on May 1 last year when Maplewood Police Sgt. Joe Bergeron was shot and killed while searching for two carjacking suspects along the Bruce Vento Trail.

One of those suspects, 21-year-old Jason Jones of St. Paul, engaged St. Paul officer David Longbehn and hit him in the face with a bolt wrapped in cloth, breaking his nose and both eye sockets.

During the struggle, Longbehn shot and killed Jones, who turned out to be Bergeron’s killer. Ofstead was one of the first medically trained officers on the scene, and treated Longbehn for his injuries before he was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. Ofstead also worked on Jones, but he died at the scene.

Ofstead said responding to that crime scene had a profound effect on him.

“(EMS) officers are highly trained, and in a moment of crisis we respond with our skills and our talent,” Ofstead said. “The emotional aspect comes after, and it’s very challenging. It made me appreciate Longbehn and the sacrifice he made.”

Ofstead noted he knew Bergeron through his training as a police officer.

“I first met him when I was going to paramedic school—we ran into each other every so often over the past dozen years,” he said.

Following Bergeron’s death, Ofstead took part in a from Chesapeake, Va., to Washington DC to raise money for Law Enforcement United, a national organization of local law enforcement officers as well as civilian support members that focus on honoring the service and sacrifice of all law enforcement officers.

After the ride, Ofstead said he wanted to do an event closer to home as a way to honor fallen officers and help their surviving families and friends, so he came up with the idea for the first ever "Kids and Family Fun Fest."

The festival, to be held at from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 20, is to honor Minnesota’s 222 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Proceeds from the event go to Concerns of Police Survivors, Minnesota Chapter and Law Enforcment United.

The festival will include a fun run, a “5K for the Fallen” memorial run/walk, a moment of silence in observance of fallen officers, K9 demonstrations, a “dunk a cop” dunk tank, a magician, face painting, food sales and other activities.

Many of the events, activities and demonstrations are free, but a $10 donation per adult and $5 donation per child is appreciated. Any donation comes with a wristband, which is good for unlimited use of inflatable toys such as the public safety hopper, and a memorial COPS ribbon is handed out to each person who donates.

Woodbury Communications Coordinator Julie Lehr said the city is hoping for a good turnout at the Fun Fest and added Ofstead has been putting in a substantial amount of work to ensure the event is a success.

“Tony feels passionately about the survivors and sees this event as a way of showing we don’t forget what they lost,” she said.