Deputy Sheriff
Ervid Theodore Clemons
Carlton County Sheriff's Office
Minnesota
Age: 47 Tour of Duty: 23
years Badge Number: 302
On
Wednesday, August 25, 1993 the
Moose Lake Police were called to
the Donald Polcyn residence at
916 Folz Boulevard at about 9:45
p.m., responding to a report of
shots being fired. Because
they had been involved with
Polcyn on numerous occasions in
the past, the police asked for
back-up. Responding to the
call were the Carlton County
Sheriff's Office, Pine County
Sheriff's Office, the Minnesota
State Patrol, the DNR, the
Scanlon Police Department, and
the St. Louis County Swat Team.
As the stand-off
continued, a police negotiator
spoke with Polcyn by phone in an
attempt to get him out of the
house. Authorities were
also urging Polcyn's 75 year old
father to leave the premises.
Mean-while, the Swat Team was
preparing to begin it's
preliminary reconnaissance of
the home. At about the
same time, the senior Polcyn
appeared at the door.
Three officers, one of whom was
Clemons, went to escort him to
safety. Unseen by
authorities, Donald Polcyn came
out immediately behind his
father and opened fire.
Deputy Clemons was hit in the
lower abdomen, below his
bullet-proof jacket, law
enforcement officers returned
fire, and Polcyn fell to the
ground. Deputy Clemons was
rushed to Mercy Hospital, where
he was pronounced dead.
Polcyn died at the scene.
The assailant had a long history
of mental illness.
Ervid was born and raised
in Duluth where he attended
school and was a 1964 graduate
of Central High School. In
1967, he began working as a
police officer for the city of
Princeton, MN. In July of
1970, Ervid joined the Carlton
County Sheriff's Office,
where he was a Deputy Sheriff
for the 23 years.
Ervid was active in area
softball and bowling leagues and
was a member of the Minnesota
Police and Peace Officers
Association, Teamsters 346,
Moose Lodge 479, and Hope
Lutheran Church in Moose Lake.
Survivors include his
wife, Beverly, one son Shayne
and one daughter Amanda.
