Chief Inspector James Tiano knows that Officer George Barnett was a tenacious warrior who lost his life in a violent shootout with a suspected burglar.But that’s about all he knows.

Tiano and his staff are spearheading efforts to locate relatives of slain officers who are going to be honored during plaque dedication ceremonies, and they need the public’s help in finding some of Barnett’s relatives.

Barnett’s plaque dedication is set for July 22 at 42nd and Pine streets in West Philadelphia, where he died on Nov. 28, 1910.

Tiano said that despite the passage of almost a century, he’s optimistic that someone will recognize Barnett’s name and reach out to his staff before the ceremony.

Anyone with information about Barnett should call Tiano at 215- 685-3655. *

-Christine Olley