Merrill Police Department

We had a call for service yesterday involving patients who were suffering from heat related issues. Please consider using one of the cooling centers in town . The Merrill-Go-Round might be an option if you need transportation as well.

This morning we were proud to celebrate the life of Mike "Mikee" Kunkel with his family and friends. There are so many great stories to share about the life of Mikee and we encourage you to continue sharing them with friends and family. We are going to share one that demonstrated what was most cherished to him. It is but one story that ultimately changed our department for the better in the long term.

Mikee was a senior Patrol Officer (PO2). By no fault of his own or anyone else's, our shift structure demanded he couldn't maintain senior officer rank/pay and stay on day shift where another senior officer was placed. Mikee wanted a more normal family life and voluntarily took a cut in rank/pay in order to stay on day shift where he could better spend that time with his family. That was a sacrifice we all witnessed and it didn't sit well with most people paying attention. Eventually, and it probably was after Mikee retired, our structure was changed to make sure that was a less likely possibility of ever happening again. Whenever possible, officers need to be recognized and compensated for their years of service, no matter what.

Mikee showed us that he wasn't just a solid officer. He was a great husband, a better father, and an even better grandfather. We are grateful to the Kunkel family for sharing him with us. To Mikee, we thank you for your service, your sacrifices, your words of wisdom, your giving nature, your partnership and everything else we can't possibly list here. You will be missed!

https://www.taylorstinewaid.com/obituaries/michael-mikee-kunkel