APDEA Staff
OFFICERS
E-BOARD AND PAC MEMBERS
SHOP STEWARDS
AWARDS
Derek Hsieh – President
Derek has served on the Executive Board for many years. He also has been active in union issues and has recently been a member of APDEA’s negotiations team. He was elected president in December 2008. E-mail: president@apdea.org
Chris Lutes – Vice President
Chris Lutes has been a shop steward for a number of years. He has recently been elected as vice president. E-mail: vicepresident@apdea.org
Marlene Lammers – Treasurer
Marlene Lammers joined APD in August of 1990. When visiting the Public Affairs office at APD, she will be the first person you meet. Marlene has worked in public affairs for the department since 1999. E-mail: treasurer@apdea.org
Karen Kurtz – Secretary
Karen Kurtz was elected secretary in 2005. She served many years on the E-Board. Karen currently works as a dispatcher. E-mail: secretary@apdea.org
EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICERS:
Derek Hsieh, President (president@apdea.org)
Chris Lutes, Vice President
Marlene Lammers, Treasurer
Karen Kurtz, Secretary
EXECUTIVE BOARD TRUSTEES
Gerard Asselin
Margaret Bergman
Brian Burton
Kevin Ehm
Ken Evans
Kevin Iverson
Roy LeBlanc
Dani Myren
Nelson Price
Anita Shell
To send an e-mail to the entire Executive Board and Officers, click the link below.
E-Board e-mail
If you want to file a grievance or have been notified of a scheduled interview, contact one of the following Lead Shop Stewards:
Doug Fifer, Day Shift
Jim Cross, Swing Shift
, Mid Shift
If you need a Shop Steward immediately for representation during an interview and/or disciplinary action:
- Contact any Shop Steward, Shop Steward Coordinator Meg Bergman, or any Executive Board Member.
- Advise one of the Lead Shop Stewards or Meg Bergman after the fact for assignment of a Shop Steward. APDEA assigns Shop Stewards for management and experience reasons.
The following APDEA members are the only trained and authorized APDEA Shop Stewards under Article VI, Section 3 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement:
Shop Steward Coordinator:
Meg Bergman, Burglary, Days
Lead Shop Stewards:
Doug Fifer, Patrol, Days
Jim Cross, Patrol, Swings
, Patrol, Mids
Shop Stewards:
Jeff Bell, SAU/FTF, Days
Gina Burington, Patrol, Swings
Jim Conley, Patrol, Days
Bianca Cross, SVU, Days
Steve Czajkowski, Patrol, Mids
Steve Dunn, Traffic, Days
Jim Estes, Cyber Crimes, Days
Brian Fuchs, Patrol, Swings
Karen Harper, Dispatch, Days
Helen Haverty, Theft, Days
Scott Huston, Patrol, Days
Mike Kerle, Patrol, Swings
Marc Patzke, Patrol, Days
Lee Rohwer, Patrol, Swings
Brett Sarber, CACU, Days
Michelle Semerad, Dispatch, Mids
Brian Wilson, Patrol, Swings
Employees of the 1st Quarter for 2011:
Detective of the 1st Quarter: Det. Joe Barth: Detective Barth was “instrumental in solving the Dixiano homicide case that began in January.” The victim had gone missing in April 2010 and there were financial undertones to her disappearance. Detective Barth was temporarily assigned to the Homicide Unit to assist in the investigation. Detective Barth quickly uncovered the assets held by the victim’s husband who quickly became identified as the suspect in her disappearance. Detective Barth “obtained numerous search warrants for bank, credit card and trust account records; he also seized $45,000 in case form a bank account, several Corvettes’ and a motor home from Dixiano.” Detective Barth discovered that the suspect had been stealing money from an elderly, mentally challenged man who had a several million dollar trust fund. Because of Detective Barth’s tenacity and expertise in this field, Homicide detectives were able to obtain arrest warrants for Dixiano in relation to the financial crimes allowing them additional time to thoroughly investigation the murder of Mrs. Dixiano.
Officer of the Quarter: Officer Mark Patzke: Officer Patzke performs at a consistently high level and produces high quality reports. Officer Patzke is a relatively new officer on the department with a little more than three years of service. Officer Patzke often follows-up on cases he is dispatched to rather than simply forwarding them to detectives for review. On example of such was a theft of an $8000 wedding ring. Officer Patzke interviewed several persons living in the same shelter as the victim, and through these interviews he developed a possible suspect. Officer Patzke then took a picture of the ring and the possible suspect to Cash America where it was discovered that the ring had been pawned and the clerk positively identified the suspect as the person who had pawned the ring and ultimately obtained a warrant for the suspect’s arrest. Despite his short time on the department, “Officer Patzke’s work is well above and beyond the level of the average patrol officer. In addition to all his work he has a pleasant and happy demeanor, and seems truly ‘happy to be here.’”
Additional awards given:
Medal of Valor and Citizen’s Medal of Valor:
Officer Brian Wilson and citizen Gerry Glover: Officer Wilson observed a vehicle he suspected was being driven by an intoxicated driver. As Officer Wilson attempted to make a traffic stop on the vehicle, the driver accelerated and veered into the northbound lanes of traffic headed southbound. Officer Wilson backed off and turned off his emergency gear but continued to travel in the suspect’s direction when he observed a cloud of dust and headlights at the intersection of 24th Avenue and Boniface Parkway. Officer Wilson then observed that the suspect vehicle had struck another vehicle head-on. As Officer Wilson approached the vehicle that had been struck, he observed a citizen, Gerry Glover, standing near the pickup truck as other citizens pulled a female from the suspect vehicle. Mr. Glover was advised by Officer Wilson to back away from the truck as flames began to appear; Mr. Glover screamed there was someone trapped inside. Ignoring the presence of flames, Officer Wilson busted out the window on the passenger side of the victim truck and heard the injured male driver moaning. At this point, the flames flared up causing Officer Wilson and Citizen Glover to back away from the truck momentarily. Realizing there was little time left to pull the driver to safety, Officer Wilson and Citizen Glover grabbed the driver by the arms and pulled him to safety just as the cab became fully engulfed in flames.
Medal of Honor:
Officer William Cameron: As a result of his heroic actions upon response to a plane crash in Fairview on June 1, 2010, Officer Cameron received the Medal of Valor. Since then, additional information has been presented to the Employee Recognition Board which caused reconsideration of that award. The ERB has thus determined Officer Will Cameron shall instead be awarded the Medal of Honor. This award is distinguished as follows: “To be awarded to a Police Officer who voluntarily distinguishes himself or herself by extraordinary heroism. The act must have been such that the officer was fully aware of an imminent threat of death prior to taking the action…” Officer Cameron’s actions on that day fully met the criteria for this significant recognition.
Chief’s Letter of Recognitions:
Officer Bradley Clark: Officer Clark is assigned as the SRO for Service High School and took it upon himself to see that the Every Fifteen Minutes Program take place at Service this year. The program is used to show teens firsthand what drinking and driving can do and how one’s life can change in an instant due to drinking and driving. Officer Clark has worked tirelessly on this program and has met with students and parents involved directly with the presentation of the program. “Beyond his normal duties, Officer Clark has spearheaded the Every 15 Minutes…To say that he has done the lion’s share of the preparation for the event would be an understatement. Because of his belief in the program and his desire to effect a positive change in young people and in his community, Brad has worked tirelessly to ensure its success…Officer Clark is an exemplary police officer. He is truly an educator, as well. The Service High community is very fortunate to have him.”
Officer Nathan Mitchell: Officer Mitchell was awarded the Chief’s Letter of Recognition for his involvement in an incident that had taken place in early 2009. Two other officers were recognized for their involvement but a third officer – Officer Mitchell – was not identified as the time of the original submission. Officers Mitchell, Skaggs, and Ritala were riding snowmachines in Petersville when they stopped at the Forks Roadhouse for a break. While there, they overheard someone indicating that someone with CPR was needed for a man who collapsed. The three performed CPR on the man for 1 ½ hours while they waited for a LifeFlight helicopter to respond and transport the victim. Unfortunately, the victim did not survive but their efforts do not go unnoticed.
Officers Arthur Anderson, Bryan Ranger, John Bolen, and Damon Jackson: Officers Anderson, Ranger, Bolen, and Jackson responded to the report of a young man who had left home and indicated he would return a short time later but did not return at the expected time. There was concern for the missing young man because of the colder night temperatures. Officers and the young man’s father began searching the area and calling out his name. At some point they heard what they believed to be a response from quite far off and below them in the area of the mud flats. It was suspected that the victim may have suffered a broken leg and a helicopter was requested through the Air National Guard. Officers and firefighters were eventually able to make it to the victims location and it was determined that he did not have a broken leg but that he was in the early stages of hypothermia. The helicopter was canceled and the officers and firefighters carried the victim back to the top of the bluff where AFD medics transported him to a local hospital.
Lifesaving Awards:
Lt. David Parker and Officer Scott Roberts: On February 8, 2011, Lt. David Parker and Officer Scott Roberts responded to a 911 call received by an anonymous caller stating there was a female who had overdosed in an apartment near the “Mom & Pops” store on 36th Avenue near Arctic Blvd and the caller then hung-up without providing an exact address. A hit on the cell phone towers in the area provided a possible address for officers to respond; the location was invalid. Officer Roberts then did some research on the phone number and found it associated with an address off 34th Avenue to which Lt. Parker and Officer Roberts responded. Upon arrival, they observed the door ajar and after entering found a female submerged in a full tub of water. They removed the female from the water at which time she had agonal breathing and a very weak pulse. She was then turned on her side and struck very hard on the back causing water to drain from her mouth. The female was then given a shot of NARCON from medics and transported to a local hospital. The direct intervention saved this female’s life.
Officer Joel Breiner: On March 25, 2011, Officer Joel Breiner responded to a medic assist at West High School where eight-year-old Gavin Buzby was found under water and unconscious. Upon arrival. Officer Breiner observed the condition of the victim, who had been pulled from the water and was unresponsive. He immediately began rescue breathing until the child was breathing on his own. Medics rushed the boy to the hospital where he was barely responsive and required assisted mechanical breathing until several days later when he was able to again breath on his own. Officer Breiner’s actions resulted directly in saving the life of Gavin Buzby.
Citizen’s Award for Valor: On April 11, 2011, Anchorage citizen Eric Nordhougen and another as yet unidentified male were walking there dogs along the shores of University Lake when they observed another man who was walking his dog across the lake break through the ice. The victim became completely submerged and was unable to extricate himself from the water. While struggling to stay above water and unable to climb out, Mr. Nordhougen and the second citizen belly-crawled onto the ice at great risk to themselves and were able to pull the victim from the icy water. The victim suffered from severe hypothermia and was transported to the hospital by medics where he fully recovered. Had it not been for the heroic actions of these two citizens, the victim, who was also being pulled under by the current, would most assuredly have lost his life. The second rescuer is in the process of being identified. Because Nordhougen and the citizen acted without regard for the physical risks or danger to themselves, they will be presented the Citizen’s Award for Valor.
Employees of the 4th Quarter for 2010
Detective of the 4th Quarter: Det. Tammy Dunn: Detective Dunn was “instrumental in conducting research, sending multiple preservation requests and typing up and obtaining numerous search warrants that allowed the Cyber Crimes and Special Victims Units to arrest multiple individuals during a Craigslist Undercover Operation. She worked in conjunction with Homeland Security…to compile data and conversations with suspects that was vital to the cases going forward. She also took available data about numerous possible suspects and created a spreadsheet to assist investigators with identifying and working individual targets. In all, she obtained 6 search warrants which were served…She also played a key role during the apprehension of one of the suspects…The suspect was not who detectives had been expecting but Detective Dunn’s intensive research identified the arrested subject and his link to the case.”
Detective Dunn also worked “proactively to locate and identify new…targets and identified 4 new suspects this quarter, serving related search warrants…and three arrest warrants.” The arrests were all of soldiers and generated a lot of media attention. A case from 2009 was sentenced this quarter, with the defendant pleading to 6 years, 2 suspended. Every individual charged by Det. Dunn since her entry to the unit in 2008 has pled in lieu of trial.
Non-sworn of the 4th Quarter: Lew Reed: Lew Reed is “easily the hardest working and lowest profile person in this department…basically the sole point of contact for researching and collating information and statistics for the department.” Despite the number of projects Lew may be tasked with, he is always ready and willing to help. Recently, Lew was asked to put together a series of maps for neighborhoods and trailer parks. Even before the project was done being explained, Lew put together a prototype of what was being described. Lew can quickly put together a series of maps and statistics with what appears to be little or no effort. “His ‘to do’ list for his normal work day would be mind boggling for anyone’s week. He never panics. He never complains. He never quits.” You can always count on Lew to assist you whenever you ask.
Officer of the Quarter: Officer James Williams: Officer Williams performs at a consistently high level and produces high quality reports. He works busy areas, yet maintains a high level of officer initiated activity, resulting in frequent arrests. Recently, Officer Williams conducted an FI with an intoxicated male standing near a business. After investigating the perimeter of the business, he discovered the male had just burglarized the business and made the arrest. Additionally, Officer Williams work was recently praised by the traffic unit. His follow up on a felony Assault/OUI case helped make the case chargeable. Officer Williams has excellent communication skills and his supervisors have a high opinion of his work ethic.
Leadership Award (2nd half of 2010):
Communications Clerk III Jennifer Rego: Clerk III Rego, a mid shift supervisor, “…is an amazing example of a supervisor who stands by her staff and coworkers, doing anything to make their jobs run smoothly. She is ready to jump in and offer assistance with any incident to make sure the communication center runs as smooth as possible.” She worked during a number of high profile/high stress incidents this year, and she “proved her ability to be a superb supervisor and control a chaotic communication center…” Clerk III Rego “is very clear in her expectations of her staff and is very approachable and fun to work with. She believes in her staff’s abilities and only steps in when needed in a professional, courteous manner. She never loses her cool in even the most stressful of situations and steps in to help whether it be answering 911, checking over work or answering a question from a coworker or a citizen. She is always a pleasure to work with.”
Employees of the Year 2010
Non-sworn of the Year (2010):
IT Technician Cherri Liller: IT Technician Liller has been of “immense assistance with various IT issues over the course of the last several months. She makes herself available to come to remote locations and address the many issues related to digital camera systems, desk top computers and MDC updates”. She always does so with a great attitude. Her “willingness to get the job done well sets her above the average employee”. She takes on issues and leaves people feeling like their problem is just as important to Cherri as it is to them. She readily puts aside what she is working on to address problems that arise and get people back to work, and her outstanding performance is appreciated.
Officer of the Year (2010):
Officer Jack Carson: Officer Carson “work quality is excellent and he always does more than what is expected of him. He is constantly looked to by his unit for advice, suggestions and decisions made during cases. Officer Carson has been designated as the drug expert by the DA’s office for almost all SAU cases and willingly participates as an expert. Officer Carson assists other officers with his knowledge of search and seizure laws in order to…increase the department’s ability to seize money, drugs and guns off the streets…” Officer Carson is relied upon “by his supervisors for critical operational tasks while maintaining his own case load”. During 2010, Officer Carson participated initiated a traffic stop resulting in the seizure of 763 grams of heroin, 734 grams of Meth and the suspect is facing a mandatory 10 years in Federal prison. He participated in the arrest or trial of several other individuals that resulted in lengthy sentences and substantial amounts of drugs and cash being seized. Officer Carson is well regarded both within APD and with outside agencies. He is a “good example of a motivated employee who believes in what he is doing and strives to give his best at all times.”
Detective of the Year (2010):
Detective Gordon Dorr: Detective Dorr completed a two year investigation in 2010 with the conviction of a violent drug dealer who was selling meth, cocaine and heroin in kilogram weight. The suspect went to trial in June and was convicted. He currently faces a federal sentence of life in prison. Nine other co-defendants have pled guilty, while two others are fugitives. Detective Dorr is well respected both at APD and with other agencies. His strong work ethic, excellent attitude and willingness to go the extra mile to make a case are noted by co-workers and supervisors. Detective Dorr is approachable and helpful, sharing the knowledge he has gained, and willingly dives in to help out. He is regarded as one of the most hard working Detectives at APD and has demonstrated this work ethic consistently throughout his career.
Additional awards given:
Lifesaving Award:
Officer Lucas Denbleyker: On 10/21/10, Officer Denbleyker responded to a medic assist where a male was reportedly not breathing. The complainant was unable to get the victim on to the floor to begin CPR. Upon his arrival, Officer Denbleyker found the unresponsive victim not breathing, but still with a pulse. He moved him to the floor and began rescue breathing and continued this after the medics arrived. The victim regained consciousness at the scene. The complainant reported the male had recently had oral surgery and that his medication had been changed the day before. He was transported to the hospital. Officer Denbleyker’s “quick actions were instrumental in saving the victim’s life.”
Lifesaving Award:
Officer Cyndi Addington: On December 7, 2010, Officer Addington was at Dimond High where she is a school resource officer. She was approached by a student who reported receiving a text from a student in the interior. The interior student texted he had just been suspended and was in his school bathroom with a gun to his head. Officer Addington contacted the local police department, which locked down the school and began a search. Meanwhile, Officer Addington coached the Dimond student on how to reply to the suicidal student. She coordinated with the other police department and they eventually made entry to his home and found him holding a handgun. He had been in the process of writing a suicide note. He was transported to the hospital and was doing well. Officer Addington’s quick response, coordination, and coaching helped end a potentially lethal event.
Meritorious Conduct medal:
Officers John Butler, Luke Bowe and Ian Lewis: “Over the past year, these three officers have given tirelessly of their time and efforts to run a department shooting match. The three have spent countless hours designing a course of fire that tests an officer’s skills and equipment and to identify deficiencies and give officers a chance to fix them on the range…The officers then set up the courses and volunteer their own time…to run officers through and provide instruction. “ The result is the improvement of officer shooting skills, advancing the mission of the Police Department.
Officers of the Quarter – 1st Quarter 2010
Non-Sworn of the Quarter – Anita Shell
Anita Shell is a “go-to” person in the Public Affairs Office. She is sought out by fellow co-workers, both former and current, because of her willingness to assist. Anita was deeply involved in the recent Paradizo Dance and Studio 49 fundraiser benefitting Dollars for Dogs and Anchorage Crime Stoppers – two programs that are vital to the mission of the APD. She spent countless hours designing a professional program for the event and solicited volunteers to assist in the fundraising. Because of her efforts, each charity profited just over $1400. Anita is always looking for ways to improve her skills in order to help members of the community. Because of this, she sought out training opportunities at no cost to the department in the area of Child Passenger Safety Seat inspections. Officer Vic Washington, Marlene Lammers and Anita are now the only three employees at APD that are certified to inspect child safety seats. Anita is an excellent communicator and represents the department very well.
Officer of the Quarter – Frank Stanfield
Officer Stanfield is consistently either the highest or second-highest producer within the K9 Unit; he has a very “can-do” attitude and can be tasked with just about anything knowing that it will be done right the first time. Officer Stanfield willingly offers to conduct demonstrations to Rotary clubs and other organizations. Recently, he conducted a demonstration for the South Anchorage Rotary to more than 50 members. He was very well spoken and represented the unit very well. Officer Stanfield and K9 Erl recently rejoined the SWAT Team as one of two dogs on SWAT. They are very happy to have him back on their team. “Officer Stanfield’s team’s success in the past quarter is due to not one isolated incident where he did a good job on one case, but rather steady methodical hard work that came together in the last quarter where he had many successful deployments that resulted in arrests that otherwise would not have taken place.”
Detective of the Quarter – Tiffani Loughman
During the First Quarter of 2010, Detective Loughman was assigned and investigated a bad check scheme involving more than 20 individuals. As the reports filtered in, it was not clear how they were all involved. However, through Detective Loughman’s meticulous work she was able to determine through interviewing the suspects that there was one common suspect in this case, Jenny Beckett. Over 78 bad checks were written in the scheme totaling $28,000 with 13 suspects being charged and Beckett being charged with 33 felony counts. During the first quarter, Detective Loughman charged 25 individuals with crimes. The other four detectives in the unit charged 6, 4, 2, and 1 respectively during the same period.
Other Recognitions:
Officer Jason Allen was awarded the Police Shield due to the injuries he sustained in the January 9th, 2010 ambush of him in Fairview. Officer Allen was completing a routine call in Fairview in his patrol vehicle when another unknown vehicle pulled up alongside him and opened fire striking him numerous times. Officer Allen is currently enduring ongoing physical therapy with the goal of returning to work as soon as possible.
Communications Clerk III Jennifer Rego, Communications Clerk II Ashley Kendall, and Sergeant Justin Doll were awarded the Police Commendation Award for their exceptional performance during the ambush shooting of Officer Jason Allen.
Communications Clerk III Rego was the supervisor on duty that evening. Clerk III Rego served as the focal point for nearly all communications within the Department in the first crucial hours of the investigation. She conducted research on all calls within the previous weeks where someone may have ended angry with police and might have been motivated to commit the crime. In addition to conducting research and notifying commanders and detectives, she also handled her regular duties as the Clerk III. “During the debrief, every commander present commented on the impressive job she did that night…Clerk III Rego’s performance was instrumental in coordinating the department’s response and giving us the best possible start to this investigation from the response of patrol, to detectives and crime scene, to cab companies and other law enforcement.”
Communications Clerk II Kendall was the Channel One Dispatcher at the time of Officer Allen’s shooting. She had earlier dispatched Officer Allen to 1427 Medfra Street to a call for service. Nearly an hour later Clerk II Kendall heard an officer come up on the radio and began incoherently screaming his designator. She immediately recognized the officer that was shouting for help and went into action multi-selecting all 8 channels, activating the alert tone, and calling a 10-33 for Officer Allen while listening to him yell in pain that he’d been shot. Clerk II Kendall remained very calm throughout the entire incident. “During such a cataclysmic episode Ashley maintained her professionalism and performed her job by the book without uncertainty…Several officers called in that evening to compliment Ashley’s performance during the 10-33,” her supervisor wrote. “Because this event was something so critical and so traumatic I couldn’t have asked for a better person to be in charge of the radio at that time.”
Sergeant Justin Doll became the coordinator in charge of communicating with the Allen family. This was no small task and went on for weeks. Sergeant Doll coordinated officers volunteering to guard Officer Allen 24/7 while hospitalized and further arranged for officers to guard the family at their home after reports of it possibly being retaliation against Officer Allen. “Emotions were high and everyone wanted a role. Sergeant Doll handled communicating with Command, the Allen family and the officers and employees of APD in a professional manner.”
Officer Daniel Sturkie was awarded the Chief’s Letter of Recognition for his outstanding work in the Chilligan trial. Officer Sturkie was running radar on the Glenn Highway in 2008 when he clocked a pickup traveling at 90 mph. The suspect eluded Officer Sturkie but was eventually apprehended and brought to trial. The first trial resulted in a hung jury because the RO of the vehicle could not be located. Officer Sturkie began searching for the RO and the truck; he eventually made contact and was able to present his new findings to the DA and the suspect was brought back to trial with the new evidence. Because of the new evidence, the suspect/defendant plead guilty to felony DUI, felony eluding and DWLS.
Communications Clerk II Jeri Wallin was awarded the Life Saving Award. On December 31, 2009, Jeri fielded a 911 call from a hysterical citizen stating that their friend had overdosed on heroin and the victim was not breathing. Clerk II Wallin immediately transferred the call to AFD medics but after more than a minute of waiting in queue, Clerk II Wallin was unable to connect because of the call load at AFD with the house fire in progress. Clerk II Wallin noticed the importance of needing to provide information to the caller in order to potentially save the victim’s life. Clerk II Wallin is one of the department’s active CPR instructors and began coaching the caller on how to deliver the first steps of rescue breathing to the victim, opening the airway.
Clerk Rebecca Czyz was awarded the Chief’s Letter of Recognition for her work in the Richard Dorsey case. Clerk Czyz was responsible for typing all the transcripts from the multiple Dorsey cases – a serial rapist. These transcripts were a valuable part of the investigation and subsequently the trial convicting Dorsey.
Officers Daniel Garcia and Chris Alexander were awarded the Life Saving Award for saving the life of a 42-year-old woman who had overdosed on heroin. When Officers Alexander and Garcia arrived, the female was not breathing and she had no pulse. They began CPR on the female for several minutes before medics arrived and took over. Their actions saved the life of this woman.
Data Systems Technician Cheri Liller was awarded the Meritorious Conduct Award for her work with the Traffic Unit and the in-car camera systems. Cheri worked closely with the unit for over a year ironing out issues the in-car camera systems were experiencing. “It has been a long process filled with hardware and software upgrades, wireless access point installations, server crashes, MDC programming, internet conferences and hours of on-the-phone tech support in order to maintain optimum performance of the system and its storage capabilities.”
Clerk Becky Martin was awarded the Chief’s Letter of Recognition for her outstanding work in the Crimes Against Children Unit. Becky was asked to do a rush job by the District Attorney’s office on a case that was going to trial the following week. There were four very crucial transcripts that the DA needed for the trial. Due to the age of the victims in this case, the transcriptions were not an easy task and even though there were many difficulties presented in this task, Becky got the job done. Due to her quick work on this case and the ability for the DA to use the transcripts during the trial, the suspect was found guilty.
Officer John Butler was awarded the Chief’s Letter of Recognition for his commitment to increasing the safety of sworn personnel by designing and hosting monthly shooting matches at the training center. “Officer Butler researches different course of fire to push officers’ skills in shooting speed and accuracy while incorporating tactically appropriate methods of pieing and ammunition management…His tireless dedication to advancing firearms proficiency is an asset not only to the safety of our department, but to our families and community.”
Detective Tammy Dunn was awarded the Chief’s Letter of Recognition for her work in the Robert Hernandez case. Even though Detective Dunn is assigned to the Computer Crimes Unit she has continued her work on the multiple burglary case against Robert Hernandez. Because of her exceptional work in the investigation and subsequent prosecution of Hernandez, he was sentenced to 179 years for 29 felony convictions. He must serve 35 years before being considered for parole. DA Brittany Dunlop said “APD Detective Tammy Dunn is credited with investigating the burglary cases which led to this successful prosecution.”
Citizen Jacob Cox was awarded the Citizen’s Letter of Recognition. Cox, who is nine years old, was at H2Oasis during Spring Break. Jacob and a friend were in the pool when they observed a little boy floating under water. Jacob dove down and pulled the young boy out of the water where he was met by a lifeguard who took the boy from Jacob. The victim was a 6-year-old boy that certainly would not have survived had it not been because of Jacob Cox’s action.
Employees of the Year 2009
Officer of the Year 2009 – Shaun Henry
Officer Henry was selected for his continual performance above and beyond on swing shift. During the year Officer Henry was responsible for developing a comprehensive response plan for Mobile Field Force situations. His plan involved intelligence gathering techniques, as well as basic response plans involving staging locations, routes and emergency response. “Officer Henry is a highly capable and confident officer and routinely sets the example for others to emulate. He sets high personal standards for himself … maintains a high level of situational awareness, and routinely initiates investigative activities.”
Non-Sworn of the Year 2009 – Karen Kurtz
Karen Kurtz was selected for her extensive work within the Dispatch Center. She is a subject-matter expert concerning dispatch. She can speak with telephone and system engineers in their own complex language about complex issues involving telephone switching, trunking and other issues, wireless communications, geographic issues; she makes sure that streets are named and addressed properly by the city so that help can get to where it needs to and a lot more. Because of Karen’s vast knowledge, we were able to anticipate major problems with our new phone system, and in doing so, avoided them so we went live with the best product possible. Having Karen as an employee is like having a map to a minefield. Karen is familiar with mapping issues, jurisdictional boundaries and helped coordinate a re-thinking of Airport Police boundaries in 2009. “She is remarkably intelligent, highly skilled and if I had to choose between my right arm and Karen, I’d be learning how to write lefty.” This just covers how she helps me with my own job. In addition she is active in the union, helps divert me from making mistakes that would create problems for the union and was instrumental in envisioning a swing shift (we call it the power shift) for dispatch. Because of Karen’s analytical thinking, this is another project that had been sitting on a back burner but is now implemented. Karen helps her coworkers interpret their pay advices, catches errors and keeps everyone calm and informed. If we could name an employee of the decade, I would nominate Karen.
Detective of the Year 2009 – David Cordie
Detective Cordie was selected for his outstanding work within the Homicide Unit. Detective Cordie was able to develop a suspect in a cold case homicide assigned him, the murder in 2000 of Genevieve Tetpon. Detective Cordie poured over the case file and was able to recover the vehicle associated with the homicide. DNA samples were taken from the vehicle and a suspect was identified. He is a very diligent detective and works every case thoroughly.
Leadership Award for July – December 2009
Leadership Award – Sgt. Chris Sims
Sgt. Sims was selected for his outstanding abilities to lead the officers assigned to his shift. During the second half of 2009, Sgt. Sims re-trained mid-shift officers on Mobile Field Force tactics due to near riot situations at the downtown bars. He also wrote a policy enabling the shift to use riot shields during situations that do not warrant a SWAT call-out but a police response. This policy is in the test phase but if the training continues to go well it will be adopted patrol-wide. “Sgt. Sims is my ‘go to’ sergeant during tactical deployments when time exists for consultation.” He is an outstanding trainer and ensures the officers on his shift are aware of new and existing policies and procedures. “He is the quintessential police sergeant.”
Employee of the Quarter
4th Quarter 2009
Detective of the Quarter – Jean Dupuis
Jean Dupuis was selected for his tenacious work on the investigation of serial rapist Richard Dorsey. Detective Dupuis conducted an extensive investigation on Dorsey and discovered that his actions had gone undetected for several years. During the trial of Dorsey, Detective Dupuis confiscated a cup that Dorsey drank out of and processed the cup for a DNA sample. It revealed that he had committed a brutal rape of a woman at knifepoint in 2002. Detective Dupuis also tied Dorsey to five additional sexual assault victims. This information was presented to a Grand Jury for further indictment of Dorsey on the additional charges. Because of Detective Dupuis’ attention to detail and his persistence in this case, Dorsey will be held accountable for his actions.
Officer of the Quarter – Andrew Jurik
Andrew Jurik was selected for his outstanding work over the last quarter. He is a firearms instructor and has assisted in training the entire swing shift during the 4th quarter of 2009. Officer Jurik developed a “coffee shop” training scenario on his own time and trained the officers on how to shoot from different positions and how to respond to such an attack, which his supervisors feel has led to increased safety of the officers on his shift. He is an FTO and is a great mentor to new officers as they reach solo phase. “I intentionally put new officers in areas around Officer Jurik because of his ability to relay advice and knowledge to newer officers. He is always willing to help and is a dependable resource to everyone on the shift.”
Non-Sworn of the Quarter – Jeri Wallin
Jeri Wallin was selected for her outstanding abilities as a dispatcher. During the last quarter Jeri provided valuable information to officers on the street in regards to three calls in particular. In one case Jeri received a call from a woman threatening suicide. The woman had called in on her cell phone and indicated she was ‘in the woods somewhere.’ Jeri was able to map the location of the cell and provided officers with a general location of the woman. Jeri did not give up, and even though the woman continually hung up on her, Jeri would call her back. Jeri was able to talk the woman into coming out of the woods so that officers could assist her; eventually, officers found the woman. On another call, Jeri received a call reference the theft of ammunition from the Sportsman’s Warehouse. A suspect vehicle description was provided with a possible plate. Jeri found this suspicious since this theft occurred two days after the 11-1 at the Inlet Inn. She did some research on the vehicle plate and came up with a couple of possibilities. She then provided this valuable information to mid-shift officers. Later during her shift while working Channel 3, Officer Miner initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle that Jeri immediately recognized as the locate she had given earlier in the evening. Her supervisor says: “Jeri is truly a team player in Dispatch and is a huge asset to our section.” She is not afraid to go the ‘extra mile’ and always shares her knowledge with fellow dispatchers.
3rd Quarter 2009
Non-Sworn of the Quarter – Becky Czyz
Becky Czyz was nominated for her work in the Special Victim’s Unit (SVU). The following is an excerpt from the nomination: “Clerk Czyz is committed to excellence. She has listened to countless interviews and statements taken by officers and detectives. When she discovers problems in those statements she brings them immediately to the chain of command so that the issues can be addressed. Her attention to detail has assisted in addressing the need for quality statements and has provided supervisors with vital information to help assist and guide officers in the performance of their duties.”
Detectives of the Quarter – Sherry Price and Helen Haverty
Sherry Price and Helen Haverty were nominated for their dedication to both APD and the Eagle River community. “This past August they were investigating a residential burglary in the Chugiak area. Among the items taken in the burglary was a safe. Inside of the safe were some photographs. These photos were the only pictures that the female victim had of her long-deceased sons. Needless to say the victim was devastated at the loss of those pictures. There were other items taken, but these pictures were invaluable to her. There were suspects developed in the case but the whereabouts of the safe was a mystery.” With the help of Officers Fortunato and Conley the safe was located at the bottom of the Eklutna River Gorge. After climbing down the gorge and dragging the safe back up, the safe was opened and the photographs were returned to the victim. (Officers Fortunato and Conley will be recognized for their work as well.)
Officer of the Quarter – Chip Robertson
Chip Robertson was nominated for his constant willingness to step up and assist patrol despite him working as a traffic unit. “Officer Robertson has responded to higher risk calls for service, suicide threats, and calls in which cover is requested without being dispatched. Officer Robertson uses his SWAT experience to take a leadership role on calls and is always willing to help anyone who asks. More specifically, in the last few months Officer Robertson has responded to at least two fatal collisions on swing shift and took the lead on the investigation and setting up the scene for the fatality investigators response. Officer Robertson directs officers on very chaotic scenes and also helps newer officers learn what is needed and expected from on these scenes. Officer Robertson is very proactive and is a great asset to the traffic unit, patrol and to APD.”
2nd Quarter 2009
Non-sworn of the Quarter – Bonnie Sturn
Bonnie Sturn was nominated for her work in the Pawn Unit. In her nomination, a coworker commented: “Bonnie has provided so much suspicious activity and case information this past quarter there has not been enough time to follow it all up yet. Many cases will be made based on information Bonnie discovered.” Bonnie also assists in the processing of evidence in large search warrants.
Officer of the Quarter – Shaun Henry
Shaun Henry was nominated for his outstanding work over the last quarter. “He continually demonstrates exceptional investigative techniques in the course of his daily duties. … An informal leader on the shift, Officer Henry frequently assumes leadership and control of high-risk scenes and activities when shift supervisors are tied up with other priority incidents.” Officer Henry is a high performer on swing shift and an active member on SWAT.
