Several members of the Naperville Police Department were honored for their work in the community during the Citizens Appreciate Public Safety Awards on Thursday, May 15, at Mesón Sabika.
This year, 21 people received awards from the CAPS board.
“These are our people who run towards danger, our people who face the unexpected every day with skill, courage, and compassion,” said Wes Wernette, chairman of the CAPS Board of Directors.
School resource officers honored for making a difference in Naperville
Taking home the top honor of the night was Officer Kevin Merrihew. He was awarded the George Pradel Award for his kindness and care for students as a school resource officer.
“Through his compassionate response to a terrible situation and his devoted attention to a traumatized child, this individual has made a significant impact on a family in our community, but his impact stretches far beyond that one incident,” said Wernette.
Merrihew also received a separate award earlier in the evening for helping a student living in an unsafe environment after a 911 call revealed a suicidal adult in the student’s home.
He praised his colleagues for helping him make a positive impact on the community.
“The team that we have here is one team, and that’s what makes the dream happen. And that’s what makes all of this happen. We have incredible social workers. We have incredible officers. We have incredible detectives. We have incredible leaders in this department, and none of this could happen without all of us together,” said Merrihew.
Another award recipient was school resource officer Alonzo Hedgepeth, who received the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners’ Award.
He was recognized for creating a fun and safe environment for students, even if it meant breaking his arm during a game of tug of war.
“I had an opportunity to speak with Scullen Middle School Principal Scott Loughrige and asked him, ‘How would you describe how Officer Hedgepeth has made a difference in the school?’” said Ron Davidson, chairman of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners. “Principal Loughrige replied that Hedge, as he’s called, at least by Scott, in a very short amount of time, has made a tremendous impact at the school by being visible, by being engaged with students and staff.”
Officer Martin Franken, who recently celebrated 30 years with the department, also received a CAPS award for his compassion toward members of the community.
Board member Paul Hinterlong read a message from a Naperville resident to the police department, detailing Franken’s act of kindness to them on a cold winter morning when their car broke down.
“Officer Marty took what was beginning as a very bad, very stressful day and turned it into something positive. He invited me to his patrol car to warm up, talked to me, calmed me down, and took me to his own home to pick up his personal tools so I could change my batteries,” Hinterlong said.
Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres highlights department work and innovations
During the event, other units within the police department were also recognized with the Meritorious Unit Award.
Recipients included members of the social services unit and the high-tech crimes unit, who were praised for their technological expertise, which has helped in stopping crimes against children.
Police Chief Jason Arres highlighted some of the work done by the officers and other employees over the past year.
“Our staff handled nearly 75,000 events last year. That encompasses everything from answering calls for service from the community to engaging in proactive police work…It’s a wide range of responsibilities and a significant volume of activity, and I just can’t say enough about the professionalism and drive of our NPD employees,” he said.
He further discussed some of the technologies being implemented by the police department, like drones and license plate readers. According to Arres, the two have been imperative in catching suspects on the run.
For example, after an armed carjacking in Schaumburg, Naperville police located the stolen vehicle on the south end of the city, still occupied by three suspects, before they all fled.
“Two of the three were quickly apprehended, with the third remaining at large. Our drone pilots quickly deployed a drone, and we were able to locate the third suspect in a nearby yard, entering a resident’s shed,” said Arres.
A new chapter for CAPS board chairman Wes Wernette
As the night came to an end, Ashley Klco was introduced as the next chairman of the CAPS board of directors, as Wes Wernette announced his exit from the role.
“As I look back on the six years, I’m filled with gratitude for the support of the CAPS board, Chief Arres, Chief Puknaitis and this community,” Wernette said. “I’m also grateful for having the opportunity to witness firsthand the unwavering devotion and hard work of our first responders. A heartfelt thank you to all of you for your support and for being part of this rewarding journey. Thank you.”
CAPS is expected to host the next awards ceremony for the Naperville Fire Department later this fall.
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