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| Policemen and community members were the award-winners at the London Police Department’s annual recognition banquet. |
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| London Police officer Greg Perkins (left) receives the Officer of the Year award from Chief Peter Tobin. |
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| David Fleisher plays Christmas songs on the organ, as party-goers sing along. |
London community members, city officials, and members of the police force gathered Dec. 17 at Brennan’s Loft on South Main Street for a mid-week soirée, complete with live piano music and Christmas decór. It was the London Police Department’s Annual Appreciation Dinner, and the guests present were there to have fun, but also to honor those among them up for commendation.
After a good meal and Christmas songs played on the organ by David Fleisher, the awards ceremony started off on a humorous note. Sgt. David Litchfield presented Chief Peter Tobin and Law Director Zahid Siddiqi with an oversize cup in honor of their victory at the depart-ment’s annual golf outing.
Afterwards, Tobin started the business of the evening by recognizing members of area businesses who donated to the police department, including: Nathan Caplan, manager of Loss Prevention at Staples; Tom Coughlin, president of Coughlin Automotive Group; Richard Bailey of the Ohio Cobra Club; Ernie Sparks, owner of Ernie’s London Apothecary; Stephen Lelonek of Huntington National Bank; Don Gerrard of the Fraternal Order of Eagles; and Misty Bradley of Merchants National Bank.
Steve Pucket of London Correctional Institution received the Citizen Award for his work with prison inmates on building an addition to the police department.
Within the department, Jeannie Porter received honorable mention for her work with the department scrapbooks.
Officer Aaron Ansel received special commendation for his work with the planning of the addition to the department. Officer Brad Aleshire received special commendation for his many hours of work, “sometimes compensated, sometimes uncompensated,” with the department computers.
Officers Keith Akers and Christopher Francis received special commendation second awards for their apprehension of Edwin Zimmerman after a high-speed car chase.
Officer Gregory Perkins received the Medal of Merit for his investigative work related to a series of breaking-and-enter-ing crimes. Sgt. David Wiseman received a Medal of Merit for his investigative work on the Edwin Zimmerman case.
Sgt. Ross Tipton and Officer Christopher Grimes received the Life Saving Award for performing CPR on a heart attack victim until the paramedics arrived. Officer Donovan Cooper earned the Life Saving Award for rescuing an unconscious man from a burning house.
Medals of Valor went to officers Mike Albright, Joe Cox and John Goubeaux for subduing a man who was holding a gun to his head, threatening suicide.
