Arlington police give out annual awards

January 28, 2020 1:30 am
Arlington Police Chief Jonathan Ventura presents Sgt. Mike Gilbert with the Office of the Year Award at a ceremony Jan. 24 in the Byrnes Performing Arts Center. It was one of awards bestowed on officers, support staff and volunteers.
Arlington Police Chief Jonathan Ventura presents Sgt. Mike Gilbert with the Office of the Year Award at a ceremony Jan. 24 in the Byrnes Performing Arts Center. It was one of awards bestowed on officers, support staff and volunteers.

ARLINGTON – The police department’s annual awards ceremony was Jan. 24 at the Byrnes Performing Arts Center. Police Employee of the Year was Sgt. Mike Gilbert.

The Life Saving Award went to Officer Molly Ingram and officer Joshua Fox won both the Chief’s DUI award and the Chief’s Traffic Enforcement Award.

Other award winners were:

•20 years of service: Officer Erik Moon, detective Sgt. Mark Pennington and Sgt. Kay Schander

•15 years of service: Sgt. Peter Barrett

•5 years of service: Officer Justin Olson

Chief’s Community Engagement Award:

•Detective Mike Phillips, technician II Andrea Hill and officer Shelly Hamel

Certificate of Appreciation:

•Officer Mike McQuoid for apprehension of multiple vandalism suspects at Stanwood High School

•Volunteer Awards:

•Ed Krell for taking the lead on the speed study program for the department.

•Al Lehman for exceedingly high level of customer service.

Chief’s Service Awards:

•City employees Jay Downing and Eric Hentila for their leadership during the snowstorms of February 2019.

•Kristin Banfield for her work as public information officer.

•Katie Heim for her work on speed studies showing where additional enforcement is required.

Awards of Commendation went to:

•Jim Eldridge, Arlington High School staff, for extinguishing a fire after a student detonated an improvised explosive device.

•Officer Justin Olson who was instrumental in the subsequent criminal investigation into that device.

Community Awards:

•The Stilly Diner for providing meals during Police Week

•S&S Roofing for sponsoring the Bike Rodeo.

•Arlington Walmart for sponsoring the 2019 Shop with a Cop event.

•Smokey Point Starbucks for hosting Coffee with Cops meetings.

•R Transport for purchasing Blue Line flags

•Kent Prairie PTA for support of the K9 program

•Reece Construction for donations to construct Oso’s kennel.

•Axis Roof & Gutter for donationsto construct two kennels.