Michelle Suciu-Jenkins, a former Brookfield police officer, died in an ATV accident Sunday in Missouri.

Michelle Suciu-Jenkins, a former police officer for the Brookfield Police Department, died in an ATV accident in Missouri on Sunday while she trained for future motocross racing.

Jenkins, 47, served as a reserve officer first in October 1996 and then went on to work part-time and full-time as a patrol officer in Brookfield through March 2003, according to township police Chief Dan Faustino.

Faustino said he remembers her involvement in ATV racing as a police officer, but she got out of the police profession to dedicate more time to racing.

“She wasn’t afraid,” Faustino said. “She always liked to have fun, but was always professional in her work. She will be missed.”

Jenkins’ social media pages tout her as a five-time AMA-MX and World Power Sports Association national champion.

“If you didn’t know her, my heart hurts for you,” said Roy Anne Rudolph, an investigator with the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office, who worked with Jenkins as a Brookfield police officer. “She was an original — funny, kind, fearless, beautiful inside and out — blessing to know.”

Rudolph said they became great friends and jokingly referred to themselves as “the broad squad” riding together in the cruiser on afternoon turns.

“Michelle brought her distinct style of compassion, humor and bravery to serve our small community, and she was greatly appreciated for it,” Rudolph said.

Others remember Jenkins as working out at Global Fitness on Elm Road NE, sometimes coming in there muddied from training on her ATV.

Redina Ross, a friend of both Michelle and her husband Brian, has started a GoFundMe.com account under “Help Brian and Michelle Jenkins families” to raise a goal of $5,000 to help bring Michelle back to her Trumbull County home for funeral and burial. Thus far, about $2,500 has been raised.

Another GoFundMe account for Jenkins titled “One Last Race” has raised more than $11,000.

A candlelight service to honor the memory of Jenkins will be held about 7:30 p.m. Saturday prior to an ATV MX race at 3 Palms Action Sports Park in Conroe, Texas. Jenkins’ fellow racers will light and release five paper lanterns in her honor.

gvogrin@tribtoday.com