Officers and Citizens Recognized with Awards

Several police officers and two citizens received commendations at the first annual Upper Southampton Police Department awards ceremony.

Chief of Police Ron MacPherson distributed the awards during the 20-minute ceremony held amidst the township’s board of supervisors meeting Tuesday evening.

MacPherson said with so much of police work being focused on the negative, he wanted to do something to highlight the positive as well as recognize members of the department for a job well done.

The officers, who were nominated for the awards by their peers, were presented with a certificate as well as a bar pin for their uniform.

MacPherson opened the ceremony by acknowledging that it was a “very busy year” for the department.

“Some people blame me for that, saying it wasn’t like that until you got here,” he quipped, to the filled to capacity meeting room in the basement of the Library.

MacPherson said he was very proud of the effort that each and every one of the officers provided this past year, as well as the cooperation both they and the citizens provided to him as the police chief.

“Your efforts have been outstanding,” he said. “As evidenced by the awards you will be receiving tonight.”

All and all, 13 officers were recognized, receiving commendations in the areas of valor, bravery, heroism, life saving and merit. Distinguished acts received either a unit citation or a citizen’s award.

Supervisor Marguerite Genesio said it is not often that the supervisors get the chance to say thank you to the police. She said she wanted all of the officers to know they were well loved and well appreciated in the township.

“We couldn’t be more proud of our police force,” she said.  “You are setting quite an example, not only for the young people in this room but all across the township.”

The following is a summary of the awards presented:

•A Unit Citation was presented to Sgt. John Costello and Ofc. Michael Kaminski for their work in disarming a man who had called 911 and threatened to go inside the with a shotgun in July 2010.  After the man was subdued, a large arsenal of weapons was discovered in his car, parked in the restaurant’s lot.

•A Commendation of Merit was presented to Det. Craig Rudisill for his investigation of the armed robbery of the store on July 5, 2010.  MacPherson said Rudisill’s quick response and through investigation led to the arrest of the suspect within one week of the crime.

•A Commendation of Heroism was presented to Sgt. Jeffrey Delp, for an incident in that occurred in April 2010. MacPherson said Delp was off duty and driving with his wife when he encountered a man attempting to jump from an overpass onto busy Route 1. He said as Delp began to call 9-1-1, the man climbed over the overpass, so Delp approached the man, grabbed him from behind and pulled him to safety.

•A Unit Citation was presented to Ofc. Fred Williamson, Det. Craig Rudisill, Det. James Schirmer and Sgt. Michael Jones and a citizen’s award was presented to Peter Scott Rancourt after a botched burglary attempt at Rancourt’s property on July 28, 2010. MacPherson said Rancourt did exactly what police want citizens to do, provide them with a good description of suspects and their vehicles. Rancourt’s description of the three suspects and their truck was broadcast countywide, and the men were arrested a short time later in Northampton Township.

•A Commendation of Merit was presented to Ofc. Albert Costantini for his efforts in apprehending a Burglar who had been victimizing commercial establishments in the township from mid to late 2009.

•A Commendation for Life Saving was presented to Ofc. Williamson, A Unit Citation was presented to Lt. Groome, Sgt. Jones, Det. Rudisill, Det. Schirmer, Ofc. Williamson, Ofc. Schmidt and Ofc. DiSantis, and a citizen award was presented to Nancy McDade for the following incident, as described by Chief MacPherson:

On May 25, 2010, in the afternoon hours, Nancy McDade of Carolyn Dr. called 9-1-1 to report seeing smoke coming from her neighbor’s home at 1265 Carolyn Dr. Ofc. Schmidt and Det. Schirmer arrived and attempted to enter the residence but they were driven back by the smoke and heat. Other police officers, fire fighters and emergency medical service arrived. The fire personnel were able to make entry and discovered an adult female and two small female children in a bedroom on the home’s second floor. Those persons were taken outside onto the lawn for evaluation. Rescue efforts were made to save all three victims. Ofc. Fred Williamson was one of the rescue personnel who administered life saving efforts to one of the children on the front lawn, before she was rushed away by EMS personnel to a hospital.

Officer Williamson’s efforts and the efforts of the other Fire and EMS personnel saved two lives that afternoon. Unfortunately, one of the children died as a result of the fire.

The other officers who responding that afternoon included Ofc. DiSantis, Sgt. Jones, Det. Rudisill and Lt. Groome.

They all played key parts in the rescue and follow up investigation of the fire scene. This was truly a team effort by everyone involved under very sad circumstances.

•A Commendation of Merit was presented to Ofc. Scott Irvin for his work with a distressed man with mental heal issues during the first two weeks of July 2010. MacPherson said Irvin was instrumental in having guns the man owned turned over to a family member, and that his persistent follow up resulted in the man receiving the medical attention he needed, as well as a third weapon he had obtained during the investigating being secured.

•A Letter of Commendation was presented to Ofc. Derek Gale and Ofc. Michael Kaminski in recognition of their DUI enforcement efforts for 2009.

MacPherson noted there were several events that were not recognized in this year’s ceremonies, including the homicide at Kim’s Nail Salon and the arson investigation on Charlotte Avenue. He said these incidents were not acknowledged, as both were still pending trial at the time of the nominations. MacPherson said they would be included in next year’s ceremony.