By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
Every year the Junction City – Geary County Crimestoppers sponsor a banquet to honor and recognize members of the law enforcement community for their good work.
A total of 17 members of the law enforcement community were honored and keynote remarks were delivered by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt during the fifth annual banquet Friday night at the convention center. He stated the KBI has approximately 20 new agents, and is on a path to get to 94 this year, the number authorized for the agency.
Schmidt noted there has been success in working with the legislature during the past year to get the new northeast Kansas child victim’s task force created. He called criminal misconduct involving the exploitation of children is astonishing. “We simply as a state have not been where we need to be in terms of having sufficient assets to deal with that very specialized sort of child exploitation. We still don’t have sufficient assets but we’ve got more than we had a year ago at this time, and we have a platform that should allow us to serve I’ll call it the northeast quadrant of Kansas including the territory we’re standing in right now over the next decade in a much more integrated and robust fashion.” Schmidt called that good for local enforcement, kids and communities.
The Attorney General added there is also an effort by the KBI to work with the legislature to try and get some capacity to help on white-collar criminal misconduct matters.
Detective Sergeant Joshua Brown was named the 2018 JCPD Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. He was assigned to be the lead detective on two homicides and worked to apprehend those responsible, and worked numerous other felony cases.
Deputy Sergeant Kirt Nichols was the 2018 Geary County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. He is also a shift supervisory in the Patrol Division and consistently one of the first employees to respond to requests for extra patrol, extra duty assignments or for shift rotation at minimal or no notice.
Officer Wyatt Charlson was named the Grandview Plaza Police Department’s Law Enforcement of the Year.
Milford State Park Ranger Clayton Swanson was the 2018 State Park Ranger of the Year. He was one of the people who helped save the life of a Manhattan man who was choking in Milford.
Marsha Rich, who is the JCPD Investigation Division administrative assistant was recognized as the 2018 JCPD Support Staffer of the Year. She just celebrated her 40th year with the department.
B.J. Solander, who serves as the lead chaplain for the
Sheriff’s Department and Detention Center, was recognized for the support he has provided.
–Master Trooper Mario Rios was the 2018 Kansas Highway Patrol Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.
Others recognized included:
–Tammy Washsnicht, administrative assistant in the Sheriff Department Corrections Division, as the 2018 Geary County Corrections Employee of the Year.
–Dominic Anderson, member of the Geary County Sheriff’s Posse as the 2018 Geary County Sheriff’s Posse Member of the Year.
–Dr. Jimmy Jenkins for his support of law enforcement agencies and personnel in Geary County.
–Cassandra Thomas of the JCPD was named the 2018 Geary County Dispatcher of the Year.
–The Emergency Service Dispatcher for the Fort Riley Military Police Department was honored as the 2018 Fort Riley Dispatcher of the Year.
–Lt. Paul Davis was the 2018 Fort Riley Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.
–Corps of Engineers Park Ranger Blake McPherren was the 2018 Army Corps of Engineers Park Ranger of the Year.
–Dwight Bradley was the 2018 Juvenile Corrections officer of the Year. He is employed at the North Central Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center.
–8th Judicial District Court Services Se
cretary was the 2018 Community Services Officer of the Year.
–Kim Graham, Intensive Supervision Officer with 8th Judicial District Community Corrections was the 2018 Community Corrections Officer of the Year.