Awards Recognition IDNR Law Enforcement - 2007

Officer of the Year

AWARDS OF MERIT:

The Award of Merit is awarded to Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Law Enforcement, personnel who have made truly outstanding achievements and have consistently performed their duties with outstanding skill, diligence, productivity, judgment and responsibility.

Inv. Carl Gamble and CPO Mark Wagner – For their investigation of a fatal boat accident on the Mississippi River in October of 2002. The incident was initially deemed an accident, but Inv. Gamble and CPO Wagner remained unsatisfied with this explanation. Their subsequent investigation revealed that the owner of the smaller craft had sabotaged his own engine and intentionally caused the collision in order to collect the insurance proceeds. After numerous interviews and court delays, the defendant was indicted by a grand jury for reckless homicide. The defendant took a plea agreement in 2006. He paid $9500 in fines and costs, made a $2500 contribution to the Illinois Conservation Foundation, was sentenced to 90 days in jail and placed on three years probation. These officers are well deserving of this Award of Merit for their diligence and outstanding investigative skills.

CPO Eric Schreiber and CPO James Prater – For generating an astounding number of OUI cases while conducting recreational boating enforcement on the Chain O’ Lakes. As of September 27, 2006 seventy-three (73) arrests were made for operating a watercraft while under the influence of alcohol, with nearly all occurring between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Officer Schreiber was the arresting officer in 21 of the 73 cases and additionally was the assisting officer in 23 of the cases. Officer Prater was the arresting officer in 21 cases and the assisting officer in 14 of the cases. These officers are well deserving of being recognized with this award.

CERTIFICATES OF MERIT:

The Certificate of Merit is awarded to Office of Law Enforcement personnel who maintain consistently high standards of performance of their assigned duties over an extended period of time.

The following recipients were nominated by their fellow officers as Boating Officer of the Year:
They are being commended for their superior performance in enforcing and investigating boating regulations.

• CPO Brian McReynolds –For your constant and diligent boating and OUI enforcement efforts and your outstanding initiative in making our waterways safer for the boating public.
• CPO Mike Thompson – For your outstanding search and rescue efforts and also for your continued diligence in protecting the waterways of Region V, District 16.
• Inv. Mike Lyne – For your outstanding efforts in conducting several boat investigations where the dealers had failed to properly process the titles and thus recovering tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid state taxes.

Certificates of Merit are also awarded to:

CPO Pat Horrie for his diligence in capturing a car burglar. Officer Horrie set up surveillance over a 4 day period at Rock Island Trail parking lot. The arrest resulted in the closing of numerous other car burglary cases that had occurred at various Peoria county state sites.

CPO Chris Johnson for his dedication and hard work resulting in numerous arrests for deer poaching. Through investigating and interviewing several subjects, Officer Johnson’s actions led to the seizure of 4 deer, 3 shotguns, 2 spotlights and the issuance of several citations.

CPO Rich Riedel and CPO Heath Tepovich – In recognition of your outstanding efforts in OUI arrests and assisted arrests.

CPO Mike Blazinic and CPO Stanley Camlic – In recognition of your outstanding efforts in responding to a marine distress signal and assisting in rescuing several passengers and preventing any property damage to the boat.

Sgt. Bret Sgroggins, CPO Jamie Posateri, CPO Jason Moody, CPO Tom Davis and Inv. Mike Lyne – In recognition of your outstanding efforts in the investigation and apprehension of a subject who assaulted a female jogger in Moraine Hills State Park.

CPO Jamie Maul – For your exceptional courage and restraint assisting in the arrest of a subject with a handgun threatening suicide or harm to others. This is a reflection of your continued service of excellence with the Office of Law Enforcement.

CPO James Byron – In recognition of your outstanding work in planning, organizing and carrying out the Region I OUI Seminar held April 24 – 26, 2006 at Wildlife Prairie Park. Your efforts on this assignment will without a doubt pay great dividends to safer boating in Illinois.

CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION:

Ruth Siemert, Carol Eberly, Lori Johnson (Region I) – In deep appreciation for what you do for the Office of Law Enforcement and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources each and every day in the Region I Office.

Andy Belan (Site Technician/Shabbona Lake State Park) – In deep appreciation for what you do for the Office of Law Enforcement and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources each and every day at Shabbona Lake State Park.

Dennis & Tammy Watters – For your generous donation of time, your tireless effort, your expertise, and the use of your equipment in the recovery of Kalin Hunter on March 22, 2007, eight days after he died in a boating accident at Clinton Lake dam.

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USFWS – Lt. Mike Kennedy, Robert Smithers and Jeff Thomas

With sincere appreciation for the outstanding cooperation and valued assistance provided to the Special Agents of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement.

Mississippi Flyway Council – Illinois Waterfowl Protection Officer of the Year – CPO Steve Vasicek – For your outstanding efforts and dedication towards protecting our nation’s waterfowl resource.

OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2007 (Holly Vadbunker-Benson)

The Officer of the Year Award is granted to an officer (Holly Vadbunker-Benson) who demonstrates superior performance in one or more facets of his or her area of responsibility. The criteria include, but are not limited to, quality enforcement, productivity, public relations, specialized training, equipment utilization and maintenance, job knowledge, and personal appearance.

This year’s Officer of the Year demonstrates a high level of enforcement activity over the entire spectrum of enforcement types and utilizes good field enforcement discretion. This year’s Officer of the Year has a variety of outstanding cases including several deer baiting violations, hunting from a vehicle, taking short fish and over the limit of fish, fishing and/or boating in restricted areas and over 30 drug arrests. In all, this year’s Officer of the Year issued 362 citations and 453 written warnings.

This year’s Officer of the Year serves as one of the department’s K-9 officers, utilizing the K-9 in a variety of enforcement scenarios, including traffic stops, boat stops, school searches and tracking fishermen to secluded locations.

This year’s Officer of the Year is highly involved in public appearances ranging from educational functions and demonstrations to participating in the “Shop with a Cop” program.

This year’s Officer of the Year has a vast amount of field experience and knowledge and strives to keep current on all laws related to our field. The officer strives to keep physically fit and commands respect when in uniform.

This year’s Officer of the Year has worked in one of the busiest areas of the State since being hired in 1990. The officer is an outstanding field enforcement officer, well-rounded with respect to all facets of the job and is an asset to the Office of Law Enforcement. It is my pleasure to introduce the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Law Enforcement’s first female Officer of the Year: Holly Vadbunker-Benson. Congratulations Holly!

Nominees for Officer of the Year:

Region I – CPO Brian Alt
Region III – CPO Dan Greuel
Region IV – CPO Jay Danner
Region V – CPO David Holland
DOI – Inv. Dennis Michael and CPO David Hyatt

Certificates of Appreciation for nominees:

CPO Brian Alt is a 12 year veteran who consistently leads his district in activity with an amazing 222 citations and 323 written warnings. He made 14 OUI arrests as well as numerous fish and wildlife citations and investigations. Officer Alt has served as a Field Training Officer, Defensive Tactics Instructor, a Boat Accident Investigator and Evidence Officer. Officer Alt is truly an asset to our department.

CPO Dan Greuel is a 7 year veteran who’s enforcement coverage and amount of activity ranks him one of the highest in his district. CPO Greuel was involved in 10 OUI arrests, 10 cannabis arrests, investigated 5 boat accidents, and issued several boating, hunting and fishing citations. He gives countless hours to our agency in the Firearms Training and Defensive Tactics programs and recently volunteered to be a Field Training Officer. Officer Greuel is an outstanding example of a law enforcement officer.

CPO Jay Danner is a 13 year veteran who is a leader within his district. He issued 81 citations, 25 written warnings and had a number of outstanding cases this year involving stolen boat motors, boats and ATV’s. CPO Danner also made arrests involving baited areas, illegal taking of deer and turkey, and assisted a USFWS agent in a poisoning case. Danner has been instrumental in the training of other officers as a Line Officer, Field Training Officer and as a counselor for recruit classes. Officer Danner represents himself and this department as a true professional.

CPO David Holland is a 10 year veteran and seldom fails to lead his district in both activity and quality of cases. He issued 76 citations and 127 written warnings in 2006. CPO Holland made several warrant arrests, hunting over bait arrests, unlawfully hunting deer arrests, several fish code violations arrests, and handled a personal injury boat accident. CPO Holland serves as the district evidence officer and patrol boat operator. Officer Holland’s work ethic is impeccable and takes great pride in being a Conservation Police Officer.

Inv. Dennis Michael and CPO David Hyatt. Two officers were nominated by the Division of Investigations. Both of these officers undertook a comprehensive undercover operation centered around the illegal taking of fish and wildlife for possible commercialization. For three years the officers spent countless hours targeting the suspects involved and generated multiple reports for each case. The investigation uncovered blatant disregard of fish and wildlife regulations by several individuals who were repeat offenders. In March of 2006 Operation Mongo was concluded. Nineteen individuals were charged. All but one of the defendants pled guilty with fines and penalties ranging from $250 to $25,000. It is expected that this investigation will have netted approximately $50,000 in fines and penalties. Both Investigator Michael and Officer Hyatt made extreme sacrifices above and beyond the call of duty.