Bucyrus police officers honored at council meeting

By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com

Tuesday served as commendation night for the Bucyrus Police Department.

Chief David Koepke honored his officers and dispatchers with numerous awards at the start of the Bucyrus City Council meeting. Detective Tracy Keegan was honored for his collaboration with other agencies in the Khabeer Brown case. Koepke noted it was the most significant seizure of illegal narcotics by area law enforcement in the history of the county.

“This award is like the MVP award because that doesn’t happen without everything falling into place,” Koepke said.

The Bucyrus and Galion police departments worked alongside the Crawford County Special Response Team and METRICH Task Force to execute two search warrants at homes in the two towns on March 22, 2016. The ongoing investigation netted 6.4 kilograms of cocaine and 557.95 grams of heroin. The drugs combined for a street value of over $300,000.

Brown was sentenced to 20 years in prison for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

Two officers and a pair of dispatchers received the Captain John T. Stanley Police Ambassador Award: Officer Jo Stahl for acting as the Bucyrus School Resource Officer, Officer Curtis Bursby for public services, Dispatcher Stacey Russell for public service, and Dispatcher Jennifer Gerger for her work with Safety Town and National Night Out.

Stahl also received the Community Policing Award for her efforts in organizing Operation Hope for Christmas last December.

“I just kind of put the word out there,” Stahl said as she described her work in gathering presents for area children. “It was the community that came together and supported these kids. By the time the three weeks was over, we went from sponsoring four kids to 15. They had probably the best Christmas they ever had.”

The following staff received commendations: Officer Chris Hulsmeyer – physical fitness; Officer Scott Davis – perfect attendance, physical fitness, certified instructor; Officer Adam Cramer – physical fitness and perfect attendance; Dispatcher Denise Young – perfect attendance; Officer Sam Caldwell – physical fitness, distinguish achievement in competition for the Ohio Police and Fire Games; Captain Greg Stevens – physical fitness, professional achievement for his work in body and cruiser cameras; Detective Tracy Keegan – physical fitness (top score); Officer Curt Bursby – perfect attendance; Dispatcher Jennifer Gerger – perfect attendance; Officer Jo Stahl – physical fitness; and Lt. Kevin Wert – perfect attendance, professional achievement for modernization of property and evidence function in the department.

Pastor Dan Rebon discussed Hope Over Heroin, a county-wide event that will take place in downtown Bucyrus on June 23 and 24. A city of resources will be set up in downtown Bucyrus for addicts to gather information and to seek help. Free food will also be offered during the two-day event.

Anyone wishing to donate to the local Hope Over Heroin event or to find more information can contact Pastor Mike Corwin at the Bucyrus United Methodist Church Administrative and Outreach Center at 419-562-5061. More information on Hope Over Heroin can be found at www.hopeoverheroin.com. Volunteer opportunities will also be available.

Council passed four pieces of legislation: assigning county land bank issues and Tree City USA to the Public Lands and Buildings Committee, amending 2017 appropriations and employee manpower legislation, and transferring property to the county land bank.