It was on this date, September 23rd of 1998 when Manitowoc Police officer Dale Ten Haken was shot and later died while making a traffic stop on the city’s far northeast side.
The very personable and likable TenHaken had radioed for backup at an apartment complex and responding officers found him lying face down between two vehicles with a gunshot wound to the back.
Two juvenile suspects with outstanding warrants were later arrested for the crime in a neighboring county.
Current Manitowoc police chief Nick Reimer was a 3rd shift officer with MPD 25 years ago.
“I was off the night that Dale was shot and killed tragically. December 23rd, 1998 Dale was shot and he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight the ‘24th.”
It was a quarter century ago, but Reimer said “he remembers (that night) as if it were yesterday.”
“I think about him all the time,” he says. “And it’s unfortunate we always try to make sure that never happens again with our training. And just try to stay as safe as possible taking advantage of all the safety features we have around the police department.”
The suspect who shot officer TenHaken was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
His accomplice was sentenced to 22 years in the prison system.
