Springfield Township Police Department
Honoring Excellence in Service-
Last night, at our yearly recognition ceremony, held at the Center on the Lake, we had the privilege of acknowledging the outstanding efforts of our dedicated police officers and employees. This event, meticulously organized each year by Chief Jack Simone and his wife Melissa, along with Trustee Kellie Chapman and her husband Danny, serves as a testament to our commitment to recognize those who go above and beyond in their service to our community.
Officer Austin Branham:
Officer Branham received a commendation for his Proactive Policing Efforts, placing him among the top 4 in the department for self-initiated activity.
Branham also received a commendation for his involvement in an attempted murder incident at the Quality Inn, resulting in an 11-16 year sentence for the suspect. Branham was one of the officers who located the suspect who fled on foot from the scene.
He was also given a commendation for capturing a rape suspect who fled on foot from the Red Roof Inn after the crime. Officer Branham found the suspect hiding in a restroom in a nearby business. The suspect had the victims cell phone in his pocket. The suspect was charged with rape among other offenses.
Officer Cory Dorsey:
Commendation for his participation in a sting operation leading to the arrest of a suspect involved in stealing thousands of dollars from an elderly resident.
Officer Ty Klapp:
Commendation for capturing a fleeing suspect who committed arson of a residence. The suspect fled on foot and Klapp located her in the area on foot. She was arrested for aggravated arson and sentenced to 6-9 years in prison.
Commended for his participation in the fraud sting involving an elderly resident. Officer Klapp made the traffic stop on the suspect, who travelled here from New York, which led to his arrest.
Officer Jared Lawrence:
Commendation for his involvement in the fraud sting operation involving an elderly resident.
Officer Ben Mars:
Commendation for his involvement in the fraud sting operation involving an elderly resident.
Certificate of appreciation for promoting a positive image of law enforcement as the SRO at Education Alternatives.
Officer Jon McKenzie:
Commendation for his involvement in a sexual assault investigation and his compassionate interaction with the victim soon after the crime took place.
Commendation for his response to a shooting incident in a trailer park, leading to the apprehension of the shooter at the scene. He was also able to secure the weapon. Officer McKenzie was leaving an off-duty detail, and heard the call go out. He was first on the scene due to how close he was to the incident.
Sgt. Cody Meade:
Commendation for his response to a shooting in a trailer park where he arrived and promptly provided medical aid to the shooting victim.
Commendation for a felony traffic stop and drug/money seizure, resulting in the arrest of a trafficking suspect and the seizure of over $24,000.
Commendation for capturing a fleeing felon attempting to steal a Huntington ATM machine from the Giant Eagle parking lot, recovering over $45,000. The suspect was caught by Meade after a foot pursuit.
Recognized for his Proactive Policing Efforts, placing him among the top four officers in the department for self-initiated activity.
Sgt. Mike Roberts:
Commendation for his supervision and rescue efforts of a male trapped inside a camper after a large tree fell on it, narrowly missing the male trapped inside.
Commendation for his involvement in the fraud sting operation involving an elderly resident.
Commendation for his Proactive Policing Efforts, placing him among the top four officers in the department for self-initiated activity.
Det. John Simms:
Commendation for his role as an investigator in the elderly fraud scheme and subsequent sting operation.
Commendation for his participation into investigation into the shooting incident at a trailer park and subsequent arrest of the suspect.
Officer Steve Svidron:
Commendation for the capture of a male suspect acting erratically at Walmart. The suspect vandalized the vision center and then climbed up into the ceiling of Walmart to flee Officer Svidron. Svidron apprehended the suspect after using a scissor lift to get him out of the ceiling.
Commendation for rescuing a trapped individual from a camper after a tree fell on it. Svidron successfully used a chain saw to cut the tree that was trapping the victim inside.
Recognized for his Proactive Policing Efforts, placing him among the top four officers in the department for self-initiated activity.
Commended for his involvement in capturing a suspect involved in an attempted murder incident at the Quality Inn. The suspect was sentenced to 11-16 years in prison.
Det. Brian Troyer:
Commendation for his investigative techniques in the elderly fraud scheme mentioned above and for setting up the sting operation that led to the apprehension of the male suspect, that travelled to the elderly victims house from New York, to steal thousands of dollars from her. Arrests of this type are very uncommon and are often difficult to determine who the suspect is, much less make an arrest.
Commendation for his response to the trailer park shooting incident and the subsequent investigation and arrest of the shooter.
Det. Keith Verzi:
Commendation for his role in the investigation into the elderly fraud scheme and sting operation, mentioned above, that led to the suspects arrest.
Officer Noah Wardle:
Commendation for his response and assistance in the trailer park shooting incident and arrest.
Additionally, we recognized the indispensable contributions of our support staff:
Denise Bolen, the Chief's Administrative Assistant, was acknowledged for her hard work and dedication to keeping the police department running smoothly. Her efforts in clerical work, ordering equipment and supplies, payroll, bill payments and much more are essential to our operations and these details often go unnoticed. Denise also worked tirelessly creating these commendations for all our employees for this event.
Christina Rohrer, our data entry employee, was honored for her meticulous maintenance of police records on a daily basis. She ensures that court paperwork is submitted in a timely manner and meticulously fixes and validates reports. She also assists our officers with paperwork, which can be overwhelming, especially in major cases.
Emery Pitman was awarded a certificate of appreciation for his unwavering dedication to keeping our fleet of vehicles operational, and Kate Thurston was recognized with a certificate of appreciation for her voluntary efforts in organizing community policing events throughout the year.
Each of these individuals has demonstrated exceptional dedication, bravery, and professionalism in their service to our community. We are immensely proud of their contributions and grateful for their commitment to keeping our community safe. Please join us in congratulating them on their well-deserved commendations and recognitions!
