Story posted Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Niles Officers Honored For Jobs Well Done
Niles' finest were awarded medals for valor and outstanding achievement at the Second Annual Police Awards Luncheon held Monday, Nov. 16 at Lone Tree Manor restaurant.
Three citizens and two officers received commendations for their actions on Feb. 7, 2009 when they helped rescue an officer trapped in his burning squad car after it had been hit by an alleged drunk driver in the early morning hours at Milwaukee Avenue and Howard Street.
Receiving the Chief's Citizen's Award for their actions were Michael and Sandra Bartley and Michael Colbert. Receiving the Chief's Award for Valor were officers Michael Oracion and Rodney Whiteman.
Division Commander Dennis McEnerney was off duty on Mar. 14, 2009, when he noticed two men acting suspiciously near a TCF Bank in Niles.
After calling for officers the men were found with tools that might be used in a bank robbery. Their identification led to their later arrest by the FBI that cleared 10 unsolved bank robberies in Illinois and Missouri and likely thwarted a bank robbery in Niles.
McEnerney was awarded the department's Distinguished Duty Declaration for his actions.
A man barricaded himself in a closet with a knife on Oct. 1, 2008. Cmdr. Kenneth Sall responded to the scene and was able to get the man to surrender without incident or injury. For his actions, Sall was awarded the department's Distinguished Duty Declaration.
Responding to a 911 call on Oct. 3, 2009, officers Gene Krause and Vince Lombardo found a man unconscious and not breathing. By administering CPR until paramedics arrived the man lived. For their actions Krause and Lombardo were awarded the department's Distinguished Duty Declaration.
In February 2007, a 28-year-old man was murdered in Niles during a home invasion. Sergeants John Huinker and Joseph O'Sullivan and detectives George Alexopoulos, Nicholas Beyer, Thomas Fragassi, Jerry Mercado and Nicholas Zakula worked to solve the case for which each was awarded a department commendation.
Detective Beyer was awarded three additional commendations for clearing a string of cases including a September 2008 armed robbery, a May 2009 robbery and multiple thefts and burglaries at a Niles health club between 2006 and 2008. Beyer's investigations recovered almost $33,000 in property and cleared over 40 cases including some outside of Niles.
Detective Fragassi was awarded two additional commendations for clearing a May 2009 robbery and for an investigation that led to the arrest and prosecution of a suspect on charges of theft and home repair fraud.
Detective Zakula cleared a May 2009 robbery and caught an offender who stole $200,000 in jewels from a store salesperson. For his actions Zakula was awarded two commendations.
Sergeant Michael Boba and officers Roy Balsamo and MariJo Zawilla were each awarded commendations for taking a man into custody who was growing marijuana in his home.
Officers Pater Daoud and Danielle Helma were off duty when they apprehended a purse-snatcher in another community. Their actions cleared several cases in two other communities.For their actions Daoud and Helma received commendations.
Community Service Officer Kamil Wozny may have prevented a suicide when he responded to a car accident, recognized one of the individuals was in need of psychological help and called for assistance. For his actions Wozny was awarded a commendation.
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