Patrolman Joseph G Pudlick

End of Watch : February 4, 1972

OFFICER JOSEPH G. PUDLICK
Minneapolis PD
Died February 4, 1972

On Friday, February 4th, at 4:30 p.m., Officers Howard Richner and Joseph Pudlick were assisting two Hennepin County deputies in serving a mental commitment warrant at 2540 Quincy Street NE. They went to the second floor apartment and identified themselves but the suspect, Charles C. Bauer, refused to come out. When officers kicked the door in, Bauer started shooting at them. The officers then ran down the front stairs and the suspect followed them. Pudlick was hit in the back of the head as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

Bauer then barricaded himself in the apartment so the other officers were able to remove Pudlick's body from the building. The suspect then fired a shot through the floor. The area was evacuated and Deputy Chief Joseph Rusinko tried to negotiate with Bauer through the door. Bauer said he wanted to speak to the person that signed the commitment order. He still refused to come out so officers fired tear gas into the apartment.

Bauer was arrested and convicted of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison with the recommendation he not be paroled.

Officer Pudlick worked out of the second precinct and had been an officer for 28 years having been hired June 8th, 1943. His wife had tried to get him to retire due to his age and the rotating shifts. He was survived by his wife, Arlene, and four children. His funeral was on Monday, February 7th, at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church and he was buried in Gethsemano Cemetery.

Sourced from: The book "We Will Remember"
With permission from Lisa Lovering, Author and Board of Director
MN Law Enforcement Memorial Association
L.E.M.A. 2009

Rodney Norberg

Lawrence Paul Felcyn