CLEVELAND — Ten months after he was fatally shot during a carjacking, Cleveland police officer Shane Bartek received a street honorarium on his behalf.
The ceremony will took place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5 on the corner of Utopia and East 152nd Streets. The honorarium was added to the street of Utopia, near the intersection East 152nd Street "because it is next to the 5th District Station where Bartek served and was held in high regards by his fellow officers," according to a release.
“Patrol Officer Shane Bartek was an officer known for his devotion and commitment to police work and to the citizens of the City of Cleveland,” said Cleveland Police Chief Wayne Drummond. “The dedication of Utopia Avenue in Officer Shane Bartek’s name will serve as a warm remembrance of his legacy to Shane’s family, the community and his fellow officers
The ceremony was attended by Ward 8 Councilman Michael D. Polensek, Officer Bartek's family and other Ward 8 leaders, as well as Cleveland Police Commander Johnson and the Command Staff of the 5th District.
“Officer Bartek and his family deserve this honor,” said Polensek said in a statement earlier in the week. “He was killed needlessly. His dedication as a young officer needs to be a reminder to all of us that it is all our duty to protect and serve our fellow citizens and that his service shall not have been in vain. It shall also serve as a reminder that we need to be supportive of our ‘Men and Women in Blue’ who protect and serve us on a daily basis.”
A two-year veteran of the Cleveland Police Department, the 25-year-old Bartek was shot in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 4300 block of Rocky River Drive around 6 p.m. on Dec. 31. Last month, 19-year-old Tamara McLoyd was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after being found guilty of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, aggravated robbery, grand theft, having weapons under disability and theft. McLoyd was also found guilty in multiple robberies leading up to the New Year's Eve killing of Bartek.
“The dedication of Utopia Avenue to honor Cleveland Police Officer Shane Bartek will forever evoke tribute to this fine man, and appreciation for his service,” said Chief Director of Public Safety Karrie D. Howard.