Salisbury Police Honored For Service

From to , 16 Salisbury Township Police Department officers were honored for their exceptional service to their community at a special awards ceremony during the board of commissioners' Thursday, May 26  meeting.

Salisbury Chief of Police Allen W. Stiles spoke briefly about his pride in the department and the officers, who he said do everything from to helping people who have locked themselves out of their cars or homes, to more dangerous work such as hostage situations or protecting visiting dignitaries.

"They do so much everyday. They put their lives on the line," Stiles said. "We do all kinds of things in our department. And we're happy about that. We're here to serve the citizens of Salisbury Township and all the people that come to our township for any reason."

The honors were separated into different categories, many commended special actions taken by the officers. The Meritorious Service Award, which recognizes outstanding community service, was awarded to officers Kevin Kress and Bryan Losagio, and Sergeant Kevin Soberick.  Soberick was praised for devising a unique training program to help officers prepare for sudden gun-related violence in schools or hospitals. Kress was lauded for his services as a D.A.R.E. anti-drug program representative in the Salisbury School District and at St. Thomas More School. Losagio received acclaim for his devotion to advancing the implementation of local safe traffic rules.

Five officers received the Life Saving Award, which recognizes their training and acts of courage during emergencies. Officer Harold Bonser II was first honored for rescuing a young man from suicide on October 21, 2010.  Sergeant Donald Sabo and offiers Richard Nothstein, Kress, and Losagio were commended for saving an elderly man from cardiac arrest on February 21, 2011. Working as a team, the officers saved the man’s life by administering emergency aid and using an Automatic Emergency Defibulator (AED).

Three Salisbury officers and two officers from neighboring township departments and their respective K-9 dogs were given department commendations for apprehending an escaped Lehigh County prison inmate on June 11, 2010. In Salisbury's department they are Soberick, Nothstein and Officer Jason Laky.  The others are Catasauqua Police Officer John Wiseman and his dog, Jack, and Macungie Police Department Corporal Michael Mullen, and his dog, Sammy.

Traffic Safety Awards were given to officers who have gone two years with accident-free driving.  Stiles said it is not an easy award to get because the department has tough rules and regulations. Despite the difficult rules, many had gone through their patrols without enduring crashes or other major vehicular troubles. They  include Soberick, Laky, Detective Brian Klimowicz, and officers Budd Frankenfield III, Michael Palansky, Kevin Johnson, Charles Whitehead, and Geoffrey Hebel. In addition, Soberick was honored with the Smooth Operator Award, established by PennDot, for his efforts in cracking down against aggressive drivers.

An honorable mention was given to Frankenfield for his aid in apprehending a suspect in a December 30, 2010 bank robbery in Emmaus. The Emmaus Police Department will also recognize Frankenfield for his role.

Unit Citations for teamwork were awarded to Sergeant Ronald Patten, Officer Kyle Rehatchek, Klimowicz, Kress, Losagio, Palansky, and Whitehead, along with Allentown Police Officer Matthew Geake, for assisting the United States Secret Service in protecting former President Bill Clinton, who visited Salisbury Township on August 10, 2010.

An additional unit citation was given for a special operations group response to a barricaded shooting suspect at 760 E. Tioga Street on June 19, 2010. Patten, Whitehead, Palansky, Soberick, Kress, Frankenfield, and Losagio were members of this operation.

Klimowicz presented a check for $2,385 from the Richard Metzler Memorial Foundation to the Salisbury Township board of commissioners to cover the cost of a new flag pole in front of the police department. It will be erected in memory of Metzler, a retired Salisbury police detective.