DELLWOOD POLICE CHIEF SAYS OFFICER IN SHOOTING IS EXEMPLARY

The two officers involved in the shootings at the Jack in the Box
restaurant both are young, married and live in middle-class, suburban
neighborhoods.

Robert J. Piekutowski Jr., 27, is a Dellwood officer who has been working
with the St. Louis County Drug Unit since last year. He recently got
married and lives in St. Louis County.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officer involved, Keith T.
Kierzkowski, 31, bought a home in 1999 in St. Charles County. Neighbors
said the officer and his wife are expecting their first child in January.

Neither officer could be reached for comment.

A young woman who answered the door at the Piekutowski home would only say
that the officer had "been through enough."

One neighbor of the Kierzkowskis said, "They're a nice couple but pretty
much keep to themselves."

Another neighbor said she had not realized that Kierzkowski was a police
officer, but said she thought he might have been one because of the way he
convinced some teen-agers to stop congregating late at night at a nearby
construction site.

At the Dellwood police station Wednesday afternoon, Police Chief Dan
Chapman described Piekutowski as a "mature and dependable policeman."

Piekutowski, whose father and uncles are St. Louis police officers, served
in the Army with the 82nd Airborne Division before joining the Dellwood
force in 1997 as a rookie officer.

In less than four years as a patrolman, he garnered five commendations,
including one in June 1998 for the arrest after a chase of a suspected car
thief wanted for numerous felonies. Piekutowski also was honored for
recovering stolen weapons and vehicles, for felony drug arrests and, in
November 1998, for nabbing a peeping tom.

Chapman said he never had to take disciplinary action against Piekutowski.

"He showed himself to be a good police officer in the just under five years
he has worked for us," said Chapman. "He is very conscientious,
particularly about completing all of his assignments. He also showed
himself to be a very good person who cares about victims of crimes and
about the other officers he works with. He is always willing to help
everybody."

Chapman said he had never been privy to the St. Louis County Police report
on the shootings.

"I haven't seen the report but I stand behind my police officer," Chapman said.

He said Piekutowski got psychiatric counseling after the shootings, which
is standard procedure, before returning to the county's drug unit three
weeks later.

Chapman said Piekutowski would return to his Dellwood duties when his stint
with the drug unit expires in February.