MDOC Honor Guard

September 25, 1973: On this date, 55-year-old Earl DeMarse became the first corrections officer to be murdered at a Michigan institution. DeMarse, who had been an employee with the department for 26 years, was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital after being stabbed while he worked in the auditorium at Marquette Branch Prison.

An inmate was later convicted in DeMarse's death and is serving a life sentence. This prisoner had been serving for felonious assault, arson, car theft and burglary. The department named its training academy after DeMarse.

On September 11, 2026, four members of the Michigan Department of Corrections Honor Guard traveled to Attica, New York to participate in an Honor Guard training & Attica Memorial event with several other teams from around the country. The training day consisted of drill and ceremony, flag folding, posting / retiring colors, casket guard, and gun volley and was well received by the members who stated they learned a lot and enjoyed training with other HG teams. The Attica Prison Riot memorial on Sunday, September 13, 2026 was in remembrance of those lives lost 55 years ago during one of the most violent prison takeovers in the nation. Honor Guard members were humbled to stand shoulder to shoulder with other teams to honor those who perished and support their surviving family members. May we never forget.

August 27, 1931: In a escape attempt turned tragedy, Dr. A. W. Hornbogen was shot and killed on this date at the Marquette Branch Prison. Four inmates armed with guns and am******on that had been smuggled into the prison tried to shoot their way out of the facility, killing Hornbogen and an inmate nurse in the process.

Hornbogen was temporarily filling in as a prison physician while the regular doctor was on vacation. A standoff ensued when the inmates discovered that the prison was surrounded by officers and guards. Rather than run the risk of being recaptured, the inmates killed themselves.

Love being able to work with this great group of ladies!

MDOC Honor Guard leading the 100th Anniversary for the Traverse City Cherry Festival Parade and presenting the Colors during a flyover by the US Coast Guard.

WATCH LIVE: 100th National Cherry Festival Cherry Royale Parade Celebrate one of Northern Michigan's favorite traditions with live ...

Correctional Peace Officers Foundation (CPOF) Project 2000 # # was held in Salt Lake City, Utah June 11, 2026 - June 14, 2026.

Over the course of four days, Honor Guard teams from across the nation come together and are led by the National Honor Guard team to honor Correctional Professionals who lost their lives in line-of-duty deaths. A special recognition ceremony was also held to honor correctional professionals who survived inmate assaults and those who demonstrated bravery above and beyond the call of duty. Michigan recognized two individuals.

Four members from the MDOC Honor Guard team traveled to Project 2000 # # to represent Michigan and performed in the memorial ceremony and other various events. The ceremony can be viewed here:

https://vimeo.com/1191668121

The MDOC Honor Guard presented colors at the graduation for 27 officers who completed 8 weeks of training at the Northern Region Training Academy on June 3, 2026. Congratulations to all of you. We wish each of you a safe, rewarding, and lasting career with the MDOC!

May 17, 1998: Doris Taylor, who worked as a food service supervisor at the Thumb Correctional Facility, was stabbed to death by an inmate on this date. Taylor had worked at the prison for 11 years and had announced earlier that she planned to retire at the end of the year.

The inmate, a Level II prisoner with no previous assaultive misconducts or management problems, apparently stabbed Taylor and then tried to commit su***de by slashing his throat when corrections officers intervened. The inmate had worked with Taylor for four years and speculation suggests that he had a hard time coping with her decision to retire. He was found guilty in Taylor's murder and is serving a life sentence.

On May 15, 2026 four members of the Michigan Department of Corrections Honor Guard presented colors at the 2026 Upper Peninsula Peace Officers Memorial Service.