On the day Morrow County Deputy Brandon Moore was shot five times while investigating an alleged marijuana plot, the hospital waiting room was shoulder to shoulder with law enforcement.
"There were so many cops you could barely walk through," Moore said, relating his wife’s description.
That camaraderie was evident again in October when Moore and dozens of his peers were presented with Distinguished Law Enforcement Awards at the Ohio Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Conference. Time and again, the crowd of officers, co-workers, and family members rose to applaud the bravery, dedication, and professionalism of the 57 honorees.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office has presented Distinguished Law Enforcement Awards annually since 1987. They recognize officers’ valor, service to their communities and profession, team accomplishments, and commitment to training.
"It’s really great to see and experience the brotherhood of law enforcement," Moore said. "It’s awesome to have the connection with and support of people you don’t even know."
That network has helped him endure 15 surgeries and remain focused on returning to detective work full-time, which he hopes to do in the spring. If a desk job turns out to be the only option in law enforcement, he plans to enter the ministry.
Moore said the shooting reinforced his belief that peace officers need to make sure they have the right training, equipment, and mindset to face the worst every day. There’s no room for complacency, he said, adding, "You get thrown into a situation, and it’s either fight or die."
Here’s a recap of the accomplishments of all of the 2011 honorees:
Valor Award
Sheriff Gene Kelly
Major Russell Garman
Lt. Dustin White
Sgt. Christopher Clark
Detective Richard Brumfield
Detective Ethan Cox
Detective Perry Roeser
Deputy Chad Eubanks
Deputy Robert Wagner
Clark County Sheriff’s Office
Officer Jeremy Blum
German Township Police Division
Clark County Deputy Suzanne Hopper answered her last call on New Year’s Day 2011, when she responded to a report of shots fired at a local campground. Her fellow officers attempted several times to get her shooter to surrender. But when he fired on them, wounding one officer, they engaged in a firefight in which the shooter was killed.
Valor Award
Detective Brandon J. Moore
Morrow County Sheriff’s Office
Meritorious Service Award
Sgt. Robert Chalfant
Morrow County Sheriff’s Office
Detective Brandon Moore was shot five times while investigating a report of a marijuana grow. He returned fire despite his injuries, striking the shooter four times. Sgt. Robert Chalfant responded to the scene, disarmed the shooter and his wife, and placed them under arrest. Investigators recovered 103 weapons, 29,500 rounds of ammunition, numerous swords and knives, and 1,700 marijuana plants from the shooter’s property.
Valor Award
Deputy Matt Henry
Union County Sheriff’s Office
Meritorious Service Award
Deputy Richard Crabtree
Deputy Shawn Waller
Union County Sheriff’s Office
Officer Robert Bartholomew
Officer Amy Findley
Officer Joseph Petzinger
Marysville Division of Police
Sgt. Mike Hasson
Trooper James Bryner
Ohio State Highway Patrol
Eight law enforcement officers from three jurisdictions worked together in August 2010 to subdue an enraged, intoxicated man who led them on a high-speed chase and opened fire. When the suspect drove into a more populated subdivision, Deputy Matt Henry attempted a pursuit termination technique that caused the man’s truck to spin out. He exited the truck and began firing. Officers returned fired, and the suspect was killed.
Valor Award
Central Vice Control Section
Cincinnati Police Department
When officers of the Cincinnati Police Department’s Central Vice Control Section observed members of the Iron Horsemen Motorcycle Gang at a Cincinnati bar in September 2010, they took notice. At least two law enforcement fliers had warned that the gang’s "enforcer" was in town. As they approached the establishment, the "enforcer" opened fire. One officer was shot in the lower back, another in the thigh; the "enforcer" died in the ensuing shootout.
Valor Award
Trooper Jason Bonar
Warren Post 78, Ohio State Highway Patrol
Trooper Jason Bonar was out for an off-duty motorcycle ride on Oct. 10, 2010, when his attentiveness prevented the rape of a 66-year-old woman along the road he was traveling. He attempted to capture the suspect, but the man drove off, striking Trooper Bonar with his vehicle. The trooper called 911 and stayed with the woman until other responders arrived to transport her to a local hospital.
Group Achievement Award
Special Agent Ed Carlini
Special Agent Joe Dietz
Special Agent Mark Kollar
Special Agent Ed Lulla
Special Agent George Staley
Special Agent Gary Wilgus
Special Agent Dan Winterich
Bureau of Criminal Investigation
Sheriff David Barber
Capt. David Shaffer
Detective Lt. Gary Rohler
Detective Sgt. Roger Brown
Detective David Light
Detective Doug Turpen
Knox County Sheriff’s Office
Seven special agents from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and six officers with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office are credited with solving a case that represents, in the words of Sheriff David Barber, "the darkest days of Knox County’s history." In November 2010, authorities quickly labeled a home in Howard, Ohio — where a mother, her two children, a friend, and the family dog were missing — as a probable homicide scene. Their skillful investigation and teamwork allowed them to promptly solve the crime and rescue a 13-year-old girl, the tragedy’s lone survivor.
Group Achievement Award
Operation Traverse Task Force
Senior Special Agent Gabriel Hagan
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Sgt. Don Sylvis
Cleveland Metroparks Ranger Department
Postal Inspector Paul Suboyu
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Skutnik
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Ohio
An undercover international sex tourism operation dubbed Operation Traverse demonstrated how far some people will go to commit unspeakable crimes. In September 2009, task force members created an undercover website offering secure travel from Cleveland to Canada to people interested in having sex with minors. Special agents acted undercover as facilitators of "sex tourism," which victimizes an estimated 2 million children a year. In about a year and a half, the website logged 142,700 visits and inquiries from 330 individuals. Two Ohioans and two Germans were convicted.
Service Awards
Lt. Nick DiMarco
Garfield Heights Police Department
When Lt. Nick DiMarco retired in February 2011 after 45 years with the Garfield Heights Police Department, he left a legacy of programs and services that will benefit the community for years to come. Among them: Neighborhood Block Watch and McGruff the Crime Dog programs and the local FOP Lodge’s Shop with a Cop program for underprivileged kids.
Chief Albert P. Schaefer
Mount Healthy Police Department
In his 39 years with the Mount Healthy Police Department, Albert P. Schaefer had served in every capacity possible, including 19 years as chief, when he retired in 2011. The city of Mount Healthy has Chief Schaefer to thank for many programs and services, including the DARE and School Resource Officer programs, a wellness program, and K-9 and Bike Patrol programs.
Chief Robert Taylor
Genoa Township Police Department
Chief Robert Taylor has given 38 years to the field of law enforcement, including 13 in his current position with the Genoa Township Police Department in southern Delaware County. He also served the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office for 24 years, including five as chief deputy of the patrol division. Known for his uncompromising personal character, he often represented the department in policy, negotiation, and community relations matters.
TRAINING AWARD
Officer Charles D. "Dave" King
Westerville Division of Police
Officer Charles D. "Dave" King believes in keeping it real. That’s why the training program he oversees for the Westerville Division of Police is so effective. Drawing on his 23 years with the department and past military experience, King has upgraded the type and quality of scenario-based training available to full-time officers and reserves since he began leading training efforts in 2007.