Six earn law enforcement awards from Exchange Club

MONROE — Half of the honorees at this year’s Law Enforcement Recognition Luncheon were women. Another award went to a 72-year-old officer who rescued a boy from the ice.

More than 80 people attended the 57th-annual Law Day ceremony at the Monroe Golf and Country Club. Law Day has been hosted by the 102-year-old Exchange Club of Monroe since 1967.

As in the past, an officer from each of the local law enforcement agencies was named Officer of the Year and received a commendation and plaque for his or her service.

Judge Mark S. Braunlich of Monroe County’s 38th Circuit Court again offered opening and closing remarks. Braunlich has chaired Law Day for the last 21 years. Before that, it was organized by his father, the late Judge Paul Braunlich.

“I have just daughters. It’s wonderful to recognize female officers. So many law enforcement are women today,” Braunlich said in his welcome address.

A few years ago, the Municipal Police Officer of the Year Award was added to the ceremony. One award each year is given to an officer from one of the municipal police agencies: Erie Township, City of Luna Pier and Villages of Carleton, Dundee and South Rockwood.

This year, Dundee Police Lt. Randy Sehl presented the award to Dundee Commercial Motor Vehicle Officer Joe Schumaker.

In January, Schumaker, 72, responded to a 911 call about a 12-year-old boy who fell through the ice at Cabela’s pond in Dundee.

“Joe was on the scene in three minutes,” Sehl said. “He’s an Army veteran, a father and a grandfather. He didn’t (hesitate) to rescue that boy. He kept going. He fell into the ice (himself), but saved the boy and got back to shore swiftly.”

Other law enforcement and citizens also helped at the scene.

“I know what the polar plunge is,” Schumaker said when accepting his award.

Previous Coverage: Boy rescued after falling through pond's ice in Dundee

Sehl said he offered Schumaker the rest of the day off, but Schumaker opted to return to work.

Last year’s Municipal Police Officer of the Year also was from the Dundee Police Department: Michael Norman.

Public Safety Director Chad Tolstedt, an Officer of the Year himself in 2003, introduced the City of Monroe Police Officer of the Year, Officer Peyton Smithers.

“It takes a special person to stand up and do law enforcement,” Tolstedt said.

Smithers, he said, is one of those people. An area native, Smithers began as a cadet intern in 2017. Today he’s a field training officer and an accident investigator. He was nominated by several commanding officers for his investigative skills, dedication and dependability, Tolstedt said.

He also recently faced two dangerous situations involving guns. In one case, Smithers took a stolen gun away from a suspect. In another, he got into a physical altercation with a person who had a gun in his waistband.

“When we hear ‘gun,’ most people go the other way, law enforcement don’t,” Tolstedt said.

“We really do it as a team,” Smithers said when accepting his award. “It wouldn’t be possible without them.”

Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough, who was Deputy of the Year in 1997, introduced two award recipients.

Melissa Henderson is Monroe County Sheriff's Office Deputy of the Year. She’s a field training officer who works midnights in the Bedford area.

“She’s the first female officer who’s part of the special responder team. She’s a negotiator. We value her dedication, her guidance and her positive attitude,” Goodnough said.

Henderson said she was honored to receive the award and thanked Goodnough for all the training opportunities available to officers.

Next, Goodnough introduced Charles Galloway, who was named Corrections Officer of the Year. Goodnough encouraged the Exchange Club to add this category a few years ago.

Galloway was just 19 when he began his career in 2018. He works in intake at the Monroe County Jail.

“He works with difficult individuals. It’s a difficult position to work. He can deescalate situations,” Goodnough said. “He also works with the new recruits. They give evaluations, and they all say he’s professional and a great teacher.”

“I’m glad I can represent the jail,” Galloway said.

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Donna Kuti, Central Dispatch director, introduced Niki Bomia as the 911 Dispatcher of the Year.

Bomia joined Central Dispatch in October, 2020. She’s been a certified training officer since January, 2023, and today is a supervisor.

“She has confidence and is a dedicated professional. I ask (my staff) for feedback. Niki leads the charge with ideas, questions, more questions, more feedback,” Kuti said. “She challenges me; it’s only to make us better.”

Last year, Bomia earned an award for her help in saving a chocking special needs person.

“No one ever gets to see inside Dispatch. Sometimes, it’s the worst moment, but all goes smoothly. I’m proud to be part of that team,” Bomia said.

Michigan State Police Monroe Post Commander Lt. Stephen Borello, who was an Officer of the Year 20 years ago, introduced Trooper Samantha Hill as the Michigan State Trooper of the Year.

Hill joined the state police 18 months ago and has been on the road for just a year.

“She is extremely motivated. She’s also a part-time firefighter and EMT in Milan. Basically, two careers,” Borello said.

In 2023, Hill alone had 44 arrests, 42 intoxicated drivers, 82 traffic crashes,119 citations and 459 warnings.

“She had 640 citizen contacts, and I got zero complaints. That alone speaks volumes,” Borello said.

He praised all Monroe County law enforcement departments.

“People have no idea how good we have it here. In other counties, they deal with each other, and ‘deal’ is the word. It’s the exact opposite here,” Borello said.

Attending the Law Day luncheon and program were Exchange Club members, several local judges and county officials and the honorees with their families and supervisors.

This year for the first time, the Exchange Club sought Law Day sponsors. Several local agencies and businesses helped offset the costs of the awards and luncheon, including event sponsors Monroe Superstore and Allen Chevrolet.

The Exchange Club uses money it raises to help veterans and local community service agencies.

— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Six earn law enforcement awards from Exchange Club