NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
13 May 2002

MAYOR PRESENTS POLICE AWARDS

Harrisburg, PA — Mayor Stephen R. Reed today gave official recognition to the outstanding efforts of more than 100 city police officers, citizens, public employees and others for actions ranging from saving lives to the capture of armed and dangerous criminal suspects. The awards program was first begun by the Mayor in the 1980’s as a way for the city to recognize the many contributions of the city’s police officers and citizens to public safety.

“The awards we present today cover a wide range of circumstances, from pulling persons out of burning structures, to the capture of armed and extremely dangerous shooting suspects, to the quick and selfless actions of private citizens whose only thought was to assist another person.

“To all of the individuals being recognized today we give our thanks. They have our gratitude, respect and admiration. The City of Harrisburg and the region are a better place because of the concern they have shown.

“All, by their service, bring honor to the memory of those who have given their lives in law enforcement service to this city and the nation,” Reed said.

The following awards were presented during ceremonies in the King City Government Center:

Citizen Commendations

To J.C. Hardy, for his courageous rescue of a small child from a fire-engulfed residence in the 2500 block of Agate Street on April 7, 2002.

To Casandra Dice, for her invaluable assistance rendered to Harrisburg Police via telecommunications during a confrontation at Harrisburg Hospital between an extremely dangerous suspect and a police officer on February 1, 2002.

To Scott Grieb, David N. Obenstine and Joseph H. Boone, security personnel for PinnacleHealth Systems, for their intelligent actions while on-duty on February 1, 2002 at Harrisburg Hospital during a confrontation with an armed and extremely dangerous escapee who had assaulted a police officer.

Awards of Bravery

To Police Officers John A. Salvadia and Richard J. Iachini, for their heroic and selfless actions in the pursuit of an armed and dangerous suspect in the first block of S. 13th Street on January 15, 2002.

To Police Officer Sean D. Cornick, for his heroic and selfless actions during the pursuit and apprehension of an armed and dangerous escapee who had attacked and wounded a fellow officer at Harrisburg Hospital on February 1.

Officer of the Year

To Police Officer Sean D. Cornick, a five-year veteran of the Harrisburg Police Bureau; Cornick was assigned to the specialized Public Housing Unit in May 2000, and has since developed an extraordinary rapport with all citizens. Able to operate with minimal supervision, Cornick has registered some 650 drug-related arrests, with over 300 related to undercover operations in York, Lancaster and Harrisburg. He has also made more than 40 arrests in violent crime incidents, and has a near perfect prosecution rate.

Merit Awards

To Harrisburg Firefighter Willis R. Shrauder, Jr., for his selfless actions in assisting a police officer engaged in a physical confrontation with an armed robbery suspect in the middle of the Mulberry Street Bridge on November 21, 2001.

To Police Officer Christine C. Bielenda, for her diligent efforts during a traffic stop for loud car music in the 1300 block of N. Front Street that resulted in the suspect’s arrest for outstanding warrants and the confiscation of over $15,000 worth of illegal drugs on November 23, 2001.

To Police Officer Richard J. Iachini, for his intelligent and persuasive action taken to prevent a suicide on the Mulberry Street Bridge on December 31, 2001.

To Police Officer Christopher Krokos, for his intelligent actions in single-handedly ending a violent domestic dispute in the 1300 block of Verbeke Street on February 23, 2002.

To Police Officers Deric E. Moody and Daniel B. Jenkins, for their keen negotiation skills exhibited on March 8, 2002 on the State Street Bridge that thwarted a suicide attempt.

To Police Officers Deric E. Moody and Julian B. Adams for their skillful actions in averting a Harvey Taylor Bridge suicide on March 20, 2002.

To Investigator Leroy P. Lucas, for his diligent and skillful actions in processing a vehicle involved in a 2001 homicide in the 2000 block of Zarker Street, resulting in the arrest and conviction of a suspect almost a year later.

To Investigator John C. O’Connor, for his intelligent and persistent investigation of a sexual molestation incident, resulting in an arrest and eventual guilty plea by the suspect.

Unit Commendations

To the First Platoon, with members, Lt. Annette Books, Sgt. David J. Floyd and Patrol Officers John A Salvadia, Richard J. Iachini, Doreen M. Heron, Thomas F. Ryan, Charles E. Painter, Jeffrey J. Cook, Atah H. Akakpo-Martin, Aaron E. Paige, Karen A. Williams, Raymond R. Lyda, Garrett R. Miller, Libertad Gonzalez, Susan J. Crouser and Christopher M. Silvio, for their exemplary teamwork in determining the identity and location of an armed and dangerous suspect who had threatened fellow officers in the first block of S. 13th Street on January 15, 2002.

To Communication Center civilian employees Steven P. Harman, Garth M. Hess, Jr., Janice Clea, Paul J. Corbett, II, Ann Sohomuch and Jannette Meck, for their extra-ordinary communications work in effecting the arrest of an armed and dangerous escapee from Harrisburg Hospital on February 1, 2002.

To Communication Center civilian employees Helen M. Solivan, Paul J. Corbett, II, Rene Cooksey, Janice Clea and Ann Sohomuch, for their exemplary teamwork in helping identify and apprehend a N. Second Street Bank Robbery suspect within an hour of the incident.

To First Platoon members Cpl. Kelly R. Wetzel and Police Officers Libertad Gonzalez, Christopher J. Delozier, Sean M. Donofrio, Thomas F. Ryan, John A. Salvadia and K-9 Kazan, for their coordinated teamwork in capturing an armed suspect who had just shot at a police officer.

To the Criminal Investigation Division and the Third Platoon members Investigators Rodney D. Shoeman and Shaun A. Pugh, and Police Officers Daniel B. Jenkins, Andrew W. Rosetti, Edward V. Grynkewicz, III, Mark S. Fulton and Richard C. Gibney, for their exemplary teamwork in capturing a juvenile aggravated assault suspect who later confessed to multiple shotgun shootings throughout the city in 2001.

To the Criminal Investigation Division and 3rd Platoon members Chief Charles G. Kellar, Captain Isaac V. Nixon, Acting Captain Robert J. Rapak, Cpl. Luis A. Rodriguez, Investigators Rodney D. Shoeman, Richard L. Pickles, John C. O’Connor, Elijah Q. Massey, Kevin R. Duffin and Police Officers Christine C. Bielenda, Leslie A. Brown, Stephanie F. Barrelet, Jason G. Turchetta, Joseph J. Cesari, Brenda J. Harman, Paula A. Trovy, Deric E. Moody and John K. Green, for their exemplary teamwork following a March 21, 2002 bank robbery that resulted in the location and arrest of the suspect within hours of the incident, solving multiple robberies committed by the suspect.

To the Police Records Center civilian employees Greta H. Oliphant, Kerry J. Good, Kenneth A. Reese and Carla D. Wilson, for their diligent and invaluable assistance to citizens and law enforcement personnel throughout the region in maintaining a vast and comprehensive filing system for police reports and other information, enabling expeditious retrieval.

To Community Policing Power Shift members Cpl. Brenda E. Holmes and Police Officers James T. Galkowski, Ryan J. Neal, Tyron E. Meik and Quentin E. Kennedy, for their exemplary teamwork and diligent efforts in reducing crime in targeted high-incident areas of the city, as well as invaluable assistance rendered to Dauphin County Probation and Parole officers in client monitoring and supervision.

To the Public Housing Unit members Cpl. Brenda E. Holmes and Police Officers William T. Snyder, Julian B. Adams, Milo G. Hooper and Sean D. Cornick, for their diligent community policing efforts in the city’s public housing complexes, resulting in a noticeable reduction of criminal activity in the affected areas.

To the civilian Communications Center Quality Control Supervisor Patricia A. Smith, whose countless hours, diligence and professionalism have enabled all Communcations Center personnel to obtain their 911 certification during initial examination testing.

XXX