Lawrence, Kansas Police Department

December 15, 2006

Award Ceremony

Commendation Award

Officer Willie Brown, 15 years of service

            Officer Willie Brown has spent the last 10 years donating his time as an after-school coach for the 7^th Grade Youth Football program.  As a head coach and assistant coach, Officer Brown has devoted countless hours of his personal time enriching the lives of hundreds of Lawrence youth, through his mentorship and being a positive role model.

Officer David Ernst, 4 years of service

            October, 7, 2005, Lawrence Police Officer Ernst was the first officer on the scene of the fire at the Boardwalk Apartment Complex, 524 Frontier Road.  Officer Ernst helped direct the initial response and later assisted in the evacuation effort that helped rescue residents of the apartments and neighboring homes.  The fire resulted in the death of three apartment residents.

Officer Eric Barkley, 5 years of service

            As a School Resource Officer, Officer Barkley was on duty, in the lunchroom at Southwest Junior High School on September 27, 2006, when he was notified that a student was choking on his food.  Officer Barkley performed the Heimlich maneuver on 14-year old Jordan Parsons, dislodged the food and Parsons returned to class that afternoon.

Officer Sam Harvey, 10 years of service

            October 4, 2006, Officer Harvey received a call concerning a possible suicidal subject in the downtown area of Lawrence.  Following a brief search of the area, Officer Harvey located the man dangling by one arm off the north-bound span of the Kansas River Bridge.  Officer Harvey grabbed the man and with the help of a second Police Officer pulled the man to safety.

Officer Michael Ramsey, 4 years of service

            October 4, 2006, Officer Ramsey responded to the scene of an apartment complex fire at 1548 Eddingham.  Residents told Officer Ramsey that a woman was believed to still be in her apartment.  Officer Ramsey located the apartment and through the smoke and fire awoke the sleeping woman escorting her to safety.  There was no loss of life in this fire.

Distinguished Service Award

Officer Jack Lichlyter, 4 years of service

Officer Harold Grady, 3 years of service

Officer Vincent Casagrande, 15 years of service

            September 17, 2006, Officers Lichlyter, Grady and Casagrande were part of the police department response to a house fire at 1205 New Jersey.  The officers helped direct the initial response, performed CPR and provided rescue efforts to neighboring homes that were in danger of catching fire.  The fire resulted in the death of four residents of the home.

Medal of Valor

Officer Max Miller, 15 years of service

Officer Todd Polson, 20 years of service

Officer Ryan Sayler, 6 years of service

Sergeant Damon Thomas, 15 years of service

            October 2, 2005, Lawrence Police Officers responded to the fire at the Boardwalk Apartment Complex, 524 Frontier Road.  Officers Miller, Polson Sayler and Sergeant Thomas were among the first to arrive and immediately began an evacuation and rescue effort.  Residents of the apartment complex on the second and third stories were jumping from the balconies, some requiring immediate medical attention before being removed from the dangerous area.  These officers were a vital part of the Lawrence Police Department’s effort on the tragic night.  The fire resulted in the death of three apartment residents.

Officer Shannon Riggs, 4 years of service

            April 28, 2006, Officer Shannon Riggs was dispatched to an apartment in the 2100 block of West 26^th Street to check on the welfare of a despondent man.  When Officer Riggs arrived, he could smell smoke coming from the apartment and felt the heat of the fire through the door knob.  Officer Riggs made entry into the home and through the dense smoke and flames saw the figure of the man on the floor.  Officer Riggs was able to enter the apartment and pull the man by his hand to safety.  Officer Riggs and additional responding officers continued to locate and escort other apartment residents to safety.  There was no loss of life in this fire.

Meritorious Service Award

Captain Daniel Affalter, 30 years of service

            Captain Daniel Affalter began his career with the Lawrence Police Department on March 21, 1976.  He has successfully served in all divisions of the department, from patrol to administration to investigations, where he has led the division since 1995.  Captain Affalter has received dozens of letters of thanks and commendations from citizens, coworkers, regional and local prosecutors and from the Office of the Chief.  He has also helped organize and instruct in Hunter’s Safety Programs in Lawrence for three decades.  Captain Affalter has clearly demonstrated leadership, commitment, integrity, honor and professionalism throughout his career.