Several persons received awards at the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department’s Awards Ceremony on Thursday, March 22.
The awards were presented during a Unified Government Commission meeting at City Hall.
Two residents were given the Citizen Award for their efforts.
Robert J. Boyles, who did not attend the ceremony, received the award for his efforts in stopping a suspect in a stolen vehicle case. According to police officials, he saw officers pursuing a vehicle when the suspects got out of the vehicle at a bridge and ran on foot toward Missouri. Boyles got out of his vehicle, tackled a suspect and held on until officers arrived, according to police.
Adrienne Gilchrist, who works with juveniles in the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department, was out shopping at Dollar General on Metropolitan Avenue last November when it was robbed at gunpoint. Gilchrist got in her vehicle and followed the suspect, then gave the information to police. The suspect was apprehended and charged with armed robbery at the store, according to police.
Sgt. Tobi Wolf was awarded the Distinguished Service Award. When a man called about his roommate who had stopped breathing in November, Sgt. Wolf went to the address on Washington Avenue, checked the victim’s pulse, attempted to revive the victim, then administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation for about two minutes until Emergency Medical Services arrived. It is believed she may have saved the victim’s life, according to police.
Sgt. Mike Golden and Officer Mike Wilcox received the Valor Award. On March 20, 2017, a suspect entered the city from Bonner Springs, being chased by other officers. The suspect had previously fired shots at officers in fleeing from Leavenworth County.
The suspect left his car at 60th and Everett, where the suspect pointed his weapon at Sgt. Golden, then Golden fired his weapon and the suspect fled on foot. A police canine, Dax, tracked the suspect to 60th and Corona, hiding in a vehicle, and the suspect refused to surrender. The suspect locked himself in the vehicle, according to police. Officer Wilcox put himself in harm’s way by gaining entry into the vehicle, police said. After being confronted by Dax, the suspect surrendered and was arrested.
The officers put their lives on the line by attempting to apprehend the suspect after the suspect had already fired several rounds at multiple police officers in different jurisdictions, police said.
Also receiving the Valor Award were Capt. Raymond Nunez, Capt. Michaell Howell, Officer Dion Dundovich, Officer Lewis Edwards, Officer Miguel Leal, Kansas City, Missouri, Officer Andy Keil and Kansas City, Missouri, Officer Matt Neal.
On Nov. 6, 2017, the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department and other area law enforcement organizations were participating in an investigation targeting violent crime and drive-by shootings, according to police. They received information that suspects were armed with guns and planning to commit a violent act in the community. Officers mobilized and were able to intercept the suspects at 13th and Haskell, according to police.
Officers Edwards and Dundevich boxed in the suspect with their vehicles, leaving the police officers in a potentially dangerous position and that was done to prevent suspects from escaping and committing a violent act, according to police. The armed suspects refused to give up and began to ram the officers’ vehicles with their vehicle, police said. Kansas City, Missouri, Officer Neal deployed a noise diversion device into the suspects’ vehicle to deter the suspects from continuing their violent act, according to police. The suspects then fired at officers, with officers returning fire to protect themselves, police said. The suspects eventually surrendered and were taken into custody.
Because of the brave acts of the officers, the suspects were taken into custody and were not able to commit the violent acts in the community, according to police.
Capt. Michael Howell also received the Valor Award. Howell was shopping off-duty at a Costco store in Lenexa on Nov. 26, 2017, when he noticed people running to the exits. A shopper told him a man was pointing a gun at people threatening to kill them.
Howell approached the store manager, identified himself as a police officer, and found out what was going on. The suspect was threatening to kill people, police said. Howell found the man concealed behind a large display, and yelled, “Stop, police, drop the gun.” The suspect turned and pointed the gun at Howell, police said. Howell fired, ending the threat to himself and the store bystanders.
“Without Howell’s quick thinking and bravery, the suspect could have shot many innocent patrons of the store,” Major Dustin Dungan of the KCKPD said. “The officer was off-duty, had no body armor, and no backup. It is clear he took the lives of others as being more important than his own.”
His action saved hundreds of people from danger, Dungan said.
The Lancaster-Melton Award of Merit was presented to Detective Jamie Miller and Detective Jakob Blackman.
The award was presented for their work in connection with stopping a gang that was involved in drive-by shootings and drugs in 2017 in the 8th Street area, according to police. The detectives, assigned to a task force, intercepted phone calls of plans to harm people. When one of the persons involved in the gang was shot several days before the operation’s launch, the effort shifted to target the trafficking patterns of drug sales.
Detectives were able to gather information leading to charges filed against 11 gang members for racketeering. Ten of the 11 are in custody and off the streets of Kansas City, Kansas, Dungan said.
“This group was causing fear in the neighborhood and committing violent crimes, but due to the hard work of Detective Miller and Blackman, members of the VCTF (Violent Crimes Task Force) and SOU (Special Operations Unit), the citizens of Kansas City, Kansas, are much safer,” Dongan said. They took down a violent gang involved in selling drugs in the city, drive-by shootings and at least one homicide, he said.
In addition, the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department received the Kansas Department of Transportation AAA Silver Award, presented by Bob Hamilton. Several efforts were cited, including the community’s efforts on Safe Routes to School and driving safety programs, with improvements seen in lower traffic fatalities, better adult seat belt use, fewer alcohol-related crashes and fewer speed-related crashes.
Also, the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Department received the AAA Bronze Safety Award for community traffic safety. An increase in adult seat belt use was cited.
To see a video of the awards ceremony, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=720HMge0KvA.