EAST LANSING, Mich. — The East Lansing Police Department (ELPD) hosted its annual awards ceremony last Thursday, Jan. 25 to recognize the outstanding achievements of officers and civilians in 2017.
- ELPD Officer Dave Stoltzfus received the James S. Johnson Officer of the Year Award for his hard work and continued dedication to ELPD and the community.
- The Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Award went to ELPD Officer Matt Swab, who made 32 drunk driving arrests in 2017.
- The Ingham County 911 Dispatch Center received the True Blue Award for providing exceptional service and support to ELPD and the community.
- ELPD Jail Service Officer Christopher Abbott received the Mason Samborski Civilian Employee of the Year for his exceptional, dedicated service to ELPD and the community.
- The ELPD Cadets, Chaplains and Crossing Guards were also honored for their hard work and dedication to their jobs.
Other highlights of the ceremony:
ELPD Lt. Scot Sexton, Officer Dean Kelley, Officer Brittany Monroe and former Officer Shelby Humphries received the Citation of Bravery award for their work to locate and arrest the suspect of an armed robbery at a local gas station in February 2017. The suspect stole the gas station clerk’s vehicle and fled the scene, later crashing the vehicle and fleeing on foot. Following an attempt to pull him over and a foot chase from the crash site, officers were able to corner the suspect and arrest him in a residential backyard. The suspect made several threats and resisted arrest, requiring the officers to deploy tasers in order to take him into custody safely.
ELPD Sgt. Chad Pride, Sgt. Jim Phelps, Officer Jeff Horn, Officer Jim Didion, Officer Jeff Thomas, Officer Jeremy Hamilton, Officer Tony Fuller and Officer Dean Kelly received a Team Letter of Commendation for their response to a sexual assault that occurred in East Lansing in March 2017. After locating the victim, who had fled the scene, officers were able to locate and take the suspect into custody based on the description the victim gave. The thorough investigation that followed helped build a strong case against the suspect, who was later charged with third-degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and Habitual Offender.
ELPD Lt. Scot Sexton, Sgt. James Phelps, Officer Tom Wachowski, Officer Tony Fuller, Officer Dean Kelly, Officer Jeff Thomas, Officer Ryan Kuhn, Officer Chad Stemen, Officer Brittany Monroe and Officer Katey Harrison received a Team Letter of Commendation for their response to a shooting in September 2017. The victim in this case had been shot in his residence by his mother’s boyfriend and had fled to a neighboring house. The victim had a gunshot wound to the leg, which was extremely close to the femoral artery. EMS was called in to transport the victim to the hospital, while officers worked to clear both residences, set up a perimeter and secure the crime scene. The suspect was eventually taken into custody.
“An exceptional group of officers and civilians make up the East Lansing Police Department – all with the shared goal of keeping the East Lansing community safe,” said East Lansing Police Chief Larry Sparkes. “It’s an honor to be able to recognize them for their bravery and dedication to the citizens of East Lansing.”