Ashland Police Department employees honored for service to community

Ashland Times Gazette
·3 min read

ASHLAND − City police held an awards banquet last month at Water's Edge Event Center, the first of what is planned to be an annual event.

State Rep. Melanie Miller was present to recognize Ashland Police Department personnel with certificates of commendation from the 67th Ohio House District.

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Employees were honored for their exemplary service in 2021 and 2022.

2023 Police Recruit Recognition L to R; Recruit Chelsie Betancourt, Recruit Soren Osicka, Chief David Lay
2023 Police Recruit Recognition L to R; Recruit Chelsie Betancourt, Recruit Soren Osicka, Chief David Lay

According to a news release from the department, police recruits Chelsie Betancourt and Soren Osicka were recognized for the successful completion of the core requirements for the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy at North Central State College.

Service Awards were issued to those who've reached career milestones, to recognize their continued commitment to the Ashland community.

Five years of service

5 Years of Service L to R; Chief David Lay, Officer Alan Swaggard, Detective Kara Pearce, Detective Brad Scarl, Officer Adam Wolbert, Officer Adam Brock, Officer Leah Zeisler, State Rep. Melanie Miller
5 Years of Service L to R; Chief David Lay, Officer Alan Swaggard, Detective Kara Pearce, Detective Brad Scarl, Officer Adam Wolbert, Officer Adam Brock, Officer Leah Zeisler, State Rep. Melanie Miller

  • Sgt. Tim Atchison

  • Officer Adam Brock

  • Det. Kody Hying

  • Det. Kara Pearce

  • Det. Brad Scarl

  • Officer Alan Swaggard

  • Officer Adam Wolbert

  • Officer Leah Zeisler

10 years of service

10 Years of Service L to R; Chief David Lay, Records Specialist Valerie Ortega, State Rep. Melanie Miller
10 Years of Service L to R; Chief David Lay, Records Specialist Valerie Ortega, State Rep. Melanie Miller

  • Sgt. Lee Eggeman

  • Records specialist Valerie Ortega

15 years of service

15 Years of Service L to R; Chief David Lay, Administrative Secretary Angel Roley, Sergeant Brian Kunzen, State Rep. Melanie Miller
15 Years of Service L to R; Chief David Lay, Administrative Secretary Angel Roley, Sergeant Brian Kunzen, State Rep. Melanie Miller

  • Det. Sgt. Curt Dorsey

  • Lt. Aaron Kline

  • Sgt. Brian Kunzen

  • Officer Abrahm Neumann

  • Administrative secretary Angel Roley

20 tears of service

20 Years of Service L to R; Chief David Lay, Captain Craig Kiley, State Rep. Melanie Miller
20 Years of Service L to R; Chief David Lay, Captain Craig Kiley, State Rep. Melanie Miller

  • Capt. Craig Kiley

Employee of the year honors were presented. Recipients are chosen by peer votes based on conduct, character, congeniality between employees, outstanding performance, and dedication.

In addition to the historical awards for Civilian and Officer of the Year, a new category for Supervisor of the Year was created.

Civilian of the Year

2021 Civilian of the Year L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Records Supervisor Kendra Deaton, Chief David Lay
2021 Civilian of the Year L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Records Supervisor Kendra Deaton, Chief David Lay
2022 Civilian of the Year L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Administrative Secretary Angel Roley, Chief David Lay
2022 Civilian of the Year L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Administrative Secretary Angel Roley, Chief David Lay

  • 2021 – Records supervisor Kendra Deaton, who has served 22 years with the department. It was the seventh time she has received this award.

  • 2022 – Administrative secretary Angel Roley, who has served 16 years with the division. This marks the courth time she has received the award.

Officer of the Year

2021 Officer of the Year L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Officer Adam Brock, Chief David Lay
2021 Officer of the Year L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Officer Adam Brock, Chief David Lay
2022 Officer of the Year L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Officer Adam Srnis, Chief David Lay
2022 Officer of the Year L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Officer Adam Srnis, Chief David Lay

  • 2021 – Officer Adam Brock, who has served five years.

  • 2022 – Officer Adam Srnis, who has served three years.

Supervisor of the Year

2021 and 2022 Supervisor of the Year L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Detective Lieutenant John Simmons, Chief David Lay
2021 and 2022 Supervisor of the Year L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Detective Lieutenant John Simmons, Chief David Lay

2021 & 2022 – Det. Lt. John Simmons, who leads the Detective Bureau and is responsible for coordinating investigative follow-up throughout the division.

Chief David Lay selects two for Chief's Achievement Award

The Chief’s Achievement Award was presented. This new award was designed to allow the chief to recognize employees for talents he or she finds important to public safety. Focusing on the qualities of humility, selflessness, dependability, professionalism, commitment to the mission, goals, and vision of the division while showcasing the potential for greater leadership responsibility, the employees chosen are considered Ashland’s finest.

2021 Chief's Achievment Award L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Officer Jeremy Jarvis, Chief David Lay
2021 Chief's Achievment Award L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Officer Jeremy Jarvis, Chief David Lay

2021 – Officer Jeremy Jarvis: Served 15 years in Ashland and is a graduate of Hillsdale High School. Jarvis is assigned to Ashland City Schools as the resource officer.

"He is well respected by the faculty, staff, and students throughout the district," said Chief David Lay in a news release. "He never shies from his workload and handles nearly every incident within the schools, while often volunteering for after-school event security. Jeremy is the definition of humility. He is an everyman with a quiet consistency and demeanor that often goes unnoticed.”

2022 Chief's Achievement Award L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Officer Tevin McGuire, Chief David Lay
2022 Chief's Achievement Award L to R; State Rep. Melanie Miller, Officer Tevin McGuire, Chief David Lay

2022 – Officer Tevin McGuire: Served two years and is a graduate of Ashland High School graduate. He attended North Central State College, and worked at a local convenience store before becoming a police officer.

"Managers and customers alike have commented about how much they missed speaking with him daily, since he left," Chief Lay said in the release. "Tevin routinely volunteers for community events and many organizers have praised his demeanor. In addition to his duties as a patrol officer, Tevin volunteers his time to the division’s Reach Out Cops and Kids initiative, and Team Focus. Team Focus is a mentoring program for young men without fathers. Those young men are lucky to have Tevin as a role model. The Ashland Police Division is proud to call him one of our own.”

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland Police Department employees honored for service to community