Q: What does it mean when a pedophile is discharged? — (Email address only)

A: For this question I contacted the Niles Post Sex Offender Registry coordinator.

Offenders are discharged from parole or probation after they have fulfilled their requirements of that sentence. If this person is a sex offender, they will still be required to register, complying with requirements for their offense.

Sex offenders are not discharged from the registry, until they have fulfilled the time requirement.

The criminal sexual conduct crimes that require registration place offenders in three tiers.

Tier 1 requires the offender to register annually for 15 years. This tier includes such crimes as aggravated indecent exposure, unlawful imprisonment and surveilling an unclothed person.

Tier 2 requires bi-annual registration for 25 years. This tier includes pandering, possession of child sexually abusive material and criminal sexual conduct second-degree.

Tier 3 requires registration for life and the offender must register quarterly. A few of these crimes include kidnapping, child kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct third-degree.

Tpr. John S. Burke enlisted in the Michigan State Police on May 2, 1930, and was assigned to the White Pigeon Post.

On Oct. 13, 1930, when Burke was 23 years old, two armed robbers robbed a bank in Battle Creek, the first robbery there. The robbers fled toward Coldwater in a stolen vehicle. Within minutes, the information was relayed over the new state police radio system that had just begun broadcasting two weeks earlier.

On solo motorcycle patrol, Burke heard the radio traffic while patrolling in Sturgis and headed east on U.S. 112 near Burr Oak Road. There he saw the stolen vehicle speeding toward him. He signaled the driver to stop and approached the vehicle.

As he was approaching, the robbers decided to kidnap Burke. The driver pulled a gun immediately and pointed it at Burke’s chest. Quick to react, Burke pushed the hands away and reached for his own revolver.

The passenger then reached across the driver and shot Burke three times in the throat. Death came almost instantly.

The gunmen fled south toward Indiana, where the car overheated about 11 miles south of the crime scene. They abandoned the car and fled on foot. A passing motorist found Burke and took him to a Sturgis hospital. State police cars, equipped with the new radio system, came from as far away as Grand Haven, Wayne and Bay City.

Tpr. Edd Freeman and Daniel Wurzburg began the first MSP radio-directed manhunt in our history.

The two robbers were later discovered near a swamp in Indiana and surrendered after a brief pistol duel with police. They were driven to the White Pigeon Post where both confessed to the robbery and murder of Burke. They were lodged overnight and pleaded guilty in circuit court the following day, were sentenced to life in prison, and taken to Jackson prison, all within 24 hours of the original crime of bank robbery.

It was later discovered through fingerprints that the driver was an escaped prisoner from Ohio State Reformatory. This case spawned another unsuccessful attempt for the death penalty.

Burke was buried in Pennsylvania, where an honor guard from the Pennsylvania State Police was present.

Awarded a posthumous Valor Medal, Burke was the ninth state trooper to be killed in the line of duty.

Send your questions and comments to trooperrob53@yahoo.com.