Syracuse, N.Y. — They played hockey together while studying at Le Moyne College. Both men later worked as police officers at the Syracuse Police Department.
“We've been together for years, and I wouldn't say we're inseparable, but we were really, really close,” said Le Moyne, who plays club hockey with Forrest Gilbert and Michael Jensen and is a member of the city's police department. said Grant Prudhomme, who worked with the two men.
Ms. Prudhomme and Ms. Gilbert took time Friday to remember their friend Jensen as they prepared for today's funeral. Jensen, 29, was killed along with Onondaga County Sheriff's Lt. Michael Husock, 37, in a shootout in Salina on Sunday that also left the suspect dead. (Click here for more information about Jensen's funeral.)
Their relationship began at Le Moine when Jensen and Prudhomme joined the hockey team as freshmen. Gilbert was a fellow graduate in 2017, but he only started playing hockey during his junior year.
“Jensen and I were already good friends, and when Forrest arrived, he fit in right away, mainly because Jensen was so welcoming,” Prudhomme said. “From then on, we did everything together.”
When asked who of the three was the best hockey player, Prudhomme and Gilbert immediately answered in unison, “Mike.”
In their fourth year, they all took the exams required for police careers at the same time. Mr. Prudhomme soon joined the city police force, followed by Mr. Gilbert two years later.
Jensen was in Le Moyne in 2018 to earn a master's degree in business. He then worked first as an accountant at Bankers Healthcare in Syracuse and then at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, rising through the ranks in just one year.
The three friends continued to hang out together, and Prudhomme and Gilbert lived with Jensen at different times after graduation.
“We always went to bars together and had something to eat,” Prudhomme said. “We always got together, just like we did in college.”
Prudhomme and Gilbert said they sensed Jensen wanted to change careers, but didn't know when. They both suspected that his police exam scores were actually higher than theirs and thought he might follow them into the police force.
“I kept saying, 'Hey, if you want to do it, do it, go back and take the test again,'” Gilbert said.
However, the decision took time.
“He had a very good job at Bankers Healthcare and all of a sudden he left it,” Prudhomme said. “Then he goes to Turning Stone, where I think he bartended as well and probably did some dealing at some point.”
Friends weren't too surprised when Jensen announced that he was planning to take the exam again and attend the police academy. He considered both the Rome Police and Fire Departments and the Syracuse Police Department.
“Jensen is not a guy who sits behind a desk,” Prudhomme said. “He was active and wanted to move his body.”
He was also known for his sociable and fun personality.
“He had to be in a position to meet and interact with people,” Gilbert said.
And he wanted to get back together with his friends. Prudhomme and Gilbert believe that's one of the reasons he chose the Syracuse Police Department.
In the Syracuse Army, the three friends were all assigned to road patrol, but they worked completely different shifts and ultimately never became partners. Jensen also had some special assignments, including being in charge of the bicycle patrol detail for Destiny USA, where he excelled at engaging with the public.
Gilbert and Prudhomme said Jensen stood out no matter where he served.
“We all remember how funny he was,” Gilbert said. “He's only been here (Syracuse Police Department) for two years, but everyone already knew him.”
Prudhomme agreed. “I've been here six years and he's only been here two, but he knew people I'd never met.”
Prudhomme said working with Jensen as a colleague is “like going back to college and being on the same team again.” But it really feels like we were never apart. ”
Because of his closeness to Jensen, Prudhomme volunteered to call Jensen's parents on Sunday to inform them of the shooting.
“I didn't want them to hear about the coroner or the sergeant or anyone like that,” Prudhomme said. “We wanted to hear from people they knew.”
As part of their friendship, Jensen, Prudhomme, and Gilbert maintained a three-way text thread to share news and make plans together.
In keeping with his upbeat personality, Jensen used to use texts to tease his friends.
“All the time he made stupid comments and made fun of us,” Prudhomme said. “He could never say a straight sentence without making a joke. He was always barking at us.”
Prudhomme said he planned to leave Jensen's phone number in the text thread.
“I expect him to say something every moment,” he said. “He would.”
Learn more about Officer Michael Jensen
Don Casantre wrote: NYup.com, syracuse.com and post-standard.please contact him dcazentre@nyup.comor follow him NYup.comupon twitter or Facebook.
