Corporal Nick Samuel Polizzotto

Nick was good friends with my wife since high school. My in-laws were always talking about this “Nick guy” and after hearing his name so much I was getting jealous. I thought maybe my wife should of married this Nick guy instead of me if he is so great.
Then I was hired at the police department in the same group as Nick. I remember we were in the squad room with the group hired on together doing some rookie stuff with training. Training Officer Dave Hecklinski called out “Polizzotto” so I turned around to finally see who this famous “Nick” was. I remember looking at him and saying “so your the Nick my in-laws can’t stop talking about.” Nick gave a confused but kind smile and our friendship started that moment. We fished, took fishing trips and hung out making a lot of good memories. I ate Nicks famous spaghetti sauce and lots of Degerno frozen pizzas (Nicks favorite until he got sick from one)
Nick was on midnights and I was on afternoons and for different reasons we grew distant for awhile. But months before Nick was murdered we started renewing our friendship and hanging out again.
I think of Nick so often and miss him terribly. He was one of the best friends I will ever have. Nick was human and not perfect but he was loving, kind , funny and had a huge heart. My wife said in high school he talked about becoming a priest at one point. As I sit here and type this I look up at a King Salmon Nick caught with me on a fishing trip. His first one and a trophy he decided to have mounted. Little did I know one day it would hang in my house because Nick would be so prematurely taken from this world. But I smile remembering how happy he was after landing such a trophy fish.
I’ll never stop missing Nick...I’m so glad for the times we had.

Pfc Chris Krueger
South Bend Police

April 24, 2020