John Balcerzak is best known as Jeffrey Dahmer’s arresting officer. After Netflix premiered Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on 21 September 2022, people turned heads toward John. Learn who his wife is, his family, and where he is today.
Meet John Balcerzack, One Of The Jeffrey Dahmer’s Arresting Officers
John Balcerzack was one of the two officers Jeffrey Dahmer’s neighbor Glenda Cleveland called after they spotted 14-year-old Asian boy Konerak Sinthasomphone. Glenda along with other women who witnessed and were concerned about the young boy reported the authority. The first to respond to them was Joseph Gabrish and John Balcerzak.
After their inquiry, Joseph and John handed over the boy to Jeffrey who killed him later on even after Glenda objected to them not handing him over to Jeff. They replied to her saying it was a lover’s dispute and Konerak was drunk. Jeffrey Dahmer had met Konerak at a mall and asked to take pictures of him; he drugged him, but Konerak escaped when Dahmer went to buy liquor.
Afterward, the two officers were allegedly recorded making homophobic jokes to their dispatcher, according to Decider—joking that they were “reuniting the lovers.” Police recordings from the time also showed that “one officer laughed about needing to be ‘deloused’ after leaving Dahmer’s apartment” and that the officers dismissed a witness who “called back and insisted six times police had left an endangered boy behind,” AP News reported.
Konerak was one of the 17 victims of Dahmer which was later unraveled. Then Joseph and John were named The “Dahmer cops” because had they been a little serious about the case, the murders would’ve been prevented. Police chief Philip Arreola then fired the two cops however court reinstated them stating that the “firings were too severe a punishment and that former Officers John Balcerzak and Joseph Gabrish should be reinstated, with back pay of about $55,000 each.”
Without success, the Fire and Police Commission appealed. According to the AP, the chief had fired the policemen for “failure to follow police procedures.” The 14-year-old child was not taken into protective care, according to the Washington Post, which stated that Arreola fired the officers for “acts of omission” that included failing to record witnesses’ names at the site.
“At the time, with the information we had—to this day, I think we did the appropriate thing, the best that we could,″ John said in his first interview after Jeffrey Dahmer’s arrest. Both policemen also mentioned that when they approached Jeffrey about the youngster, he was composed and cooperative. Balcerzak responded that he felt he had more proof when asked why Glenda Cleveland’s earlier calls weren’t taken into account.
″She wasn’t actually there,″ John said. ″I felt that my firsthand knowledge was more informative than what she had heard from someone else,″ per AP News. Here is a John taking stand.
Where Is John Balcerzak Today?
John Balcerzak, who is now close to 65 years old, left the police in 2017. According to The Cinemaholic, he continues to reside in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. According to AP News, he apparently owns a pub as well. After the incident, his companion Gabrish joined the Grafton Police Department.
John Balcerzak Age
In April 2022, John Balcerzak turned 65 years old.
John Balcerzak Wife
John Balcerzak is married to his wife Paula Balcerzak.
Paula is currently 63 years old. John’s wife is currently working at Children’s Hospital in Wisconsin. She started her career in 1993 as Radiologic Technologist and worked for 17 years. She also worked as an imaging supervisor and is currently working as Radiology Clinical Servies Manager.
Paula graduated from
Is John Balcerzak On Facebook?
No, John Balcerzak is not on Facebook. However, he has a Twitter (@JohnThePDMan).
Related FAQs
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Where Is John Balcerzak From?
John Balcerzak hailed from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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What Do We Know About John Balcerzak Parents?
Currently, there is no information regarding John Balcerzak’s parents.
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When Did John Balcerzak Retire From The Police Force?
According to the WTMJ-TV television station, John Balcerzak retired from the police force in 2017. He went on to become head of the Milwaukee Police Association, the union of rank-and-file police officers. His tenure as MPA president was not without controversy.
In 2009, Milwaukee Magazine wrote, “Longtime Milwaukee Police Union President Bradley DeBraska could be criticized for many things, but he was a very smart, proactive leader. His successor, John Balcerzak, is turning out to be a disaster. Odds are the union membership will replace him — and soon.”
According to UPI, Balcerzak testified at the Jeffrey Dahmer’s trial. “Mr. Dahmer remained calm and forthright through the entire investigation,” Balcerzak said. “He was clean-shaven, clean dressed and his clothes were not in disarray.”
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