[AL] Sgt. Kirchharr - "Such a horrible end to such a loved fellow officer."

...Sgt. [Kenneth] Steve Kirchharr worked for 10 years at the Mobile County Sheriff's Office as an undercover narcotics investigator... In a written statement, [Mobile County] Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lori Myles said "though we may never fully understand the complex reasons why this veteran officer shot himself, we are beginning to see a troubled personal life that had begun to spill over into his professional life"...

Mobile County Sgt. commits suicide
PNJ
October 21, 2009
[Excerpts] Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran says a sergeant with his office killed himself after negotiators pleaded with him to surrender his handgun. The Mobile Press-Register reports that Cochran says the sergeant “became very distraught” Tuesday afternoon and barricaded himself inside a workroom... Cochran says the building was placed under lockdown as the negotiators talked to the sergeant for an hour and 40 minutes but could not get him to surrender his weapon... [Full article here]

Deputy who killed himself inside Mobile County Sheriff's Office headquarters was undercover narcotics investigator
By Jillian Kramer
October 21, 2009
[Excerpts] Sgt. Steve Kirchharr worked for 10 years at the Mobile County Sheriff's Office as an undercover narcotics investigator until Tuesday, when he fatally shot himself at department headquarters. Officials today described Kirchharr as eccentric, hard-working and -- though unknown to coworkers -- deeply troubled over personal issues... Sheriff Sam Cochran said the sergeant "became very distraught" about 3 p.m. Tuesday and barricaded himself inside a workroom in the back of headquarters... "we could not convince him to surrender his weapon." At 4:40 p.m., the sergeant fired a single shot, killing himself. He was pronounced dead at the scene. "He was very well-liked and respected," Cochran said. [Full article here]

Full report: Mobile County sheriff's deputy locks himself in Sheriff's Office workroom, commits suicide
AL.com
By Jillian Kramer
October 21, 2009
[Excerpts] ...When fellow employees spotted the sergeant, armed with his service weapon, they called for help -- and soon negotiators were on the other side of the workroom door talking to the man... More than 80 employees were ushered away from the room and the building was placed under lockdown as the negotiators talked to the sergeant for an hour and 40 minutes... The sergeant's name was withheld Tuesday night because his family had yet to be notified... The shooting remained under investigation Tuesday, Cochran said, in part because "we certainly want to know if there's anything we could have done to change the outcome." [Full article here]

Mobile County sheriff IDs suicide victim
AL.com
By JILLIAN KRAMER
Thursday, October 22, 2009
[Excerpts] ...In a written statement, Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lori Myles said "though we may never fully understand the complex reasons why this veteran officer shot himself, we are beginning to see a troubled personal life that had begun to spill over into his professional life." The 51-year-old joined the Sheriff's Office in 1999, Myles said, after working for 11 years with Mobile police. Authorities with the Mobile Police Department declined to comment on Kirchharr's service there... "The sheriff and his staff are immediately focused on the larger family of the Sheriff's Office who were present yesterday when the incident occurred," she said, "while at the same time looking closer at what led to such a horrible end to such a loved fellow officer." [Full article here]

Counselors with the U.S. Marshals Department help Sheriff's Office deal with their tragic loss
local15tv.com
Lindsay Bramson
Oct. 23
[Excerpts] It's been 3 days since an investigator with the Mobile County Sheriff's Office took his own life... On Tuesday, Sgt. Steve Kirchharr shot himself at department headquarters. Friday, the department brought in specialists to counsel deputies still struggling with what happened. "It's just been very hard right here with us at the sheriff's office," says sheriff's office spokesperson, Lori Myles. Losing one of her own in this manner was something she's never had to deal with. "There's just nothing to put into words about what it did to us, but now we have professionals in here and we're doing phase 2 and we're at a healing process right now," Myles revealed. The sheriff's office called in members of the U.S. Marshals to counsel deputies and help to give them a sense of relief. A program called Critical Incident Stress Management Debriefing... When Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran spoke about the incident on Tuesday, he described Sgt. Steve Kirchharr as hard-working. Also, as a man deeply troubled over personal issues. "These jobs, these law enforcement jobs can be very stressful at times.," says Sheriff Cochran. Deputy Kirchharr worked as an undercover narcotics investigator and was with the department for 10 years. He was 50 years old. [Full article here]

Kenneth Stephen Kirchharr
Press-Register
October 27, 2009
KIRCHHARR Sergeant Kenneth Stephen Kirchharr - Funeral services were held at 11 A.M. on Monday, October 26, 2009 from Pathway Temple Church of God with Chaplain Ron Pierce of the Mobile County Sheriff's Office officiating. Honorary pallbearers were Rassie Smith, Sergeant William Mark Hebert, Sheriff Sam Cochran and all sworn and retired officers and civilian employees of the Mobile County Sheriff's Office, the Mobile Police Department and surrounding law enforcement agencies. Active pallbearers were Officer Andy John Lee, Lee Kohn, Deputy Johnny R. Thornton, Sr., Sergeant William Shane Stringer, Randall Heath Jay, and Clinton Kyle Boyington. Interment was in McCullough Cemetery, McCullough, AL. Funeral arrangements by RADNEY FUNERAL HOME, 3155 Dauphin Street, Mobile, Alabama 36606. [LINK]

Kenneth Stephen Kirchharr
Obituaries
Press-Register
Friday, October 23, 2009
[Excerpts] Sgt. Kenneth Stephen Kirchharr, a Mobile County sheriff's deputy in the narcotics division, died Tuesday. He was 53. Kirchharr, a native of Bay Minette and a resident of Mobile, was a former officer with the Mobile Police Department. A U.S. Navy veteran, he was a graduate of the police academy at Faulkner State Community College. Survivors include his wife... three daughters... his mother and stepfather... his father and stepmother... three sisters... one brother... one stepsister... one stepbrother... and two grandchildren. Visitation will be Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. at Pathway Temple Church of God on Moffett Road, where the funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in McCullough Cemetery in McCullough. Radney Funeral Home on Dauphin Street is handling arrangements. [Full article here]

Kenneth Stephen Kirchharr
This Guest Book
will remain online until 11/26/2009
[Excerpts]
...A great person inside and out...

...The sweetest man I ever knew, a true gentleman. My prayers for Steve's family...

...I Love You Steve...

...I will miss you so much Steve...

...I will miss you and the yearly phone calls on my birthday...

...Sergeant Kirchharr will be greatly missed...

...A good man and a good friend. Steve will be missed by many...

...He was always full of hugs every time I saw him. Sometimes, he would just stop by my office to get a hug and a warm smile to make his day better. He will be greatly missed...