KCK officers honored for bravery, saving lives

They and many other police officers were honored at a Kansas City, Kan., Police Department awards ceremony March 14 at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan.

Officers honored for their work in 2012 filled four pages of a program.

“That’s just one year’s worth of work,” said Police Chief Rick Armstrong at the ceremony. He said it was important to recognize and praise the officers’ good work.

“Tonight there was bravery, courage, self-sacrifice and putting the community before themselves,” Armstrong said.

Several officers were honored for their work in a long-term narcotics case in cooperation with federal and state agents. They seized drugs worth $835,000, according to Capt. Doug Parisi, who was the master of ceremonies at the awards event.

There also were honors for officers who did large amounts of research leading to the arrest of several robbery suspects targeting Kansas City, Kan., residents.

Officer Wade Smith was honored for uncovering a pattern used for burglaries, leading to arrests.

Officer Kenneth Garrett was presented with a plaque for a long career of service since 1989, including making about 10,000 arrests for driving under the influence.

Some civilians also were honored. Paul Soptick, with a citizens’ patrol group, assisted in finding a missing girl.

Michelle Fuller, a restaurant manager, was honored for providing information leading to the apprehension of a robbery suspect.

Kirtis Davenport, a citizen, was honored for calling police when he saw an accident, and noticed someone in a car picking up a woman injured in the accident and driving away with her. Davenport followed the car for some distance. Police then followed the vehicle through the city, ending with the suspect ramming three police vehicles. The woman was taken to a hospital.

A dog named Rico, on the K-9 squad, was given a certificate of commendation for helping to locate a shotgun in some brush during an armed robbery case.

Also honored at the ceremony were 12 retired police officers, Capt. Richard Hartzfeld, Detective Susan Brown, Detective Michael Vega, Detective William Michael, Master Sgt. James Brinkley, Master Sgt. Chuck Dickinson, Officer Greg Burris, Officer Alan Jaskinia, Officer John Wayne, Officer Joe Henre, Officer Claude Harper and Officer Conrad Marin.

Some officers are listed more than once, because they were honored for more than one action. Officers who received awards included:

Capt. Thomas Joyce, Meritorious Service Award/Purple Heart; Officer Kyle Hickerson, Distinguished Service Award; Officer Wade Smith, Distinguished Service Award; Officer Chris James, Distinguished Service Award; Officer Keith Falkner, certificate of commendation; Officer Terry Grimes, certificate of commendation; Officer Clinton Swan, certificate of commendation; Officer Lewis Edwards, certificate of commendation; Master Sgt. Chuck Dickinson, certificate of commendation; Officer Mary Peters, certificate of commendation; Officer Johnell  Daniels, certificate of commendation; Officer Andrew Wilcox, Distinguished Service Award; Officer Curtis Murphy, certificate of commendation; Officer Brad Lancaster, certificate of commendation; Officer Clinton Swan, certificate of commendation; Officer Nick Schafer, certificate of commendation; Officer Kenneth Garrett, special plaque; Officer Richard Harris, certificate of commendation; Officer Marlin Sluder, certificate of commendation; Officer Kevin Fithian, certificate of commendation; Officer Patrick Locke, certificate of commendation; Officer Mark Wilcox, certificate of commendation; K-9 Rico, certificate of commendation; Sgt. Robert Baumli, certificate of commendation; Officer Sarah Panjada, certificate of commendation;

Sgt. Matthew Cross, certificate of commendation; Officer Joshua Cromwell, certificate of commendation; Officer Sabin Evans, certificate of commendation; Officer Gary Wansley, certificate of commendation; Officer Lewis Edwards, certificate of commendation; Detective Pamela Bennett, certificate of commendation; Officer Nathan Doleshal, certificate of commendation; Officer Patrick Locke, certificate of commendation; Officer Matthew Baker, certificate of commendation; Officer Walter Jones, certificate of commendation; Officer Shawn Magee, certificate of commendation; Kansas City, Mo., Detective David Kissee, certificate of commendation; Kansas City, Mo., Officer Travis Menuey, certificate of commendation; Officer Wade Smith, certificate of commendation; Paul Soptic, certificate of commendation; Capt. Scott Breshears, certificate of commendation; Capt. Steve Haulmark, certificate of commendation; Capt. Ron Kaminski, certificate of commendation; Sgt. David Kearney, certificate of commendation; Sgt. LeAnn Shelton, certificate of commendation; Officer A. Ferrer, certificate of commendation; Officer A. Fithian, certificate of commendation; Officer Z. Hitzelberger, certificate of commendation; Michelle Fuller, certificate of commendation; Officer Rodney Ashley, certificate of commendation; Officer J. Jacobs, certificate of commendation; Officer Michael Boczek, certificate of commendation; Sgt. Michael Howell, certificate of commendation; Detective Mark Bundy, certificate of commendation; FBI Special Agent Dick Tarpley, certificate of commendation;

Sgt. Ron Lobner, certificate of commendation; Officer Eric Jones, certificate of commendation; Shawn Buck, certificate of commendation; Officer Nathan Doleshal, certificate of commendation; Officer Shane Wright, certificate of commendation; Officer Dylan Passinese, certificate of commendation; Officer Eric Ibanez, certificate of commendation; Officer Kim Crockett, certificate of commendation; Officer William Barajas, certificate of commendation; Officer John Nash, certificate of commendation; Maj. Michael York, certificate of commendation; Maj. Tom McMillan, certificate of commendation; Officer Lewis Edwards, certificate of commendation; Officer Sara Janeczko, certificate of commendation; Officer Richard Harris, certificate of commendation; Sgt. Matthew Cross, certificate of commendation; Officer Keith Falkner, Meritorious Service Award/Purple Heart; Officer Terry Grimes, certificate of commendation; Officer Charles Stanturf, certificate of commendation; Sgt. Angela Joyce, certificate of commendation; Officer Lewis Edwards, Distinguished Service Award; Officer Sara Janeczko, certificate of commendation; Officer John Whaley, certificate of commendation; Officer Brandon Holloway, certificate of commendation; Officer Keith Falkner, certificate of commendation; Officer Steven Lee, certificate of commendation; Officer Martin Reyes, certificate of commendation; Officer Brian Johnson, certificate of commendation; Sgt. Paul Paulakovich, certificate of commendation; Officer Kevin Haffner, certificate of commendation; Detective Mike Martin, certificate of commendation; Detective John Grosko, certificate of commendation;

Kirtis Davenport, certificate of commendation; Sgt. Eric Patton, certificate of commendation; Officer Ian Abbott, certificate of commendation; Officer David Hopkins, certificate of commendation; Officer Angela Cannon, certificate of commendation; Officer Kelly Peterson, certificate of commendation; Officer Chad Williams, certificate of commendation; Officer Steven Lee, certificate of commendation; Officer Terry Grimes, certificate of commendation; Sgt. Brett Doolittle, certificate of commendation; and Detective Jamie Miller, certificate of commendation.