Council recognizes police dept. Service Awards

City council and the Wayne Police Department recognized six police officers and one civilian for their honorable service.
“These are some awards that have been overdue. They should have gone with Police Officer of the Year. I am very proud to be able to tell you the type of officers you have,” said Jason Wright, police chief.
Officers William Mangan and David Hamlet were presented with Meritorious Service Awards for an armed robbery arrest.
It was 11:23 p.m. on June 3, 2012 when both officers were patrolling Michigan Avenue by Brownie’s Diner. They saw a subject in dark clothes carrying a bag running from the front of Tim Horton’s. Both officers believed the Tim Horton’s had possibly been robbed and they pursued the suspect, chasing him on foot. They called dispatch and found out Tim Horton’s had been robbed at gunpoint.
They caught the suspect and recovered the gun and the bag of stolen money. The suspect was charged with armed robbery and was found guilty.
“It was great police work,” Wright said.
Officer Robert Amore was presented a Life Saving Award for providing CPR to a two month old child. Amore was the first to arrive on the scene at the baby’s home and saw he was not breathing and did not have a pulse.  He gave CPR and was able to get the baby to take a breath but he was not able to breathe on his own so Amore did rescue breathing and met the fire dept. on the street. He continued rescue breathing in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. The child survived and Officer Amore received a thank you card from the family.
Sgts. Terrance Springer and Finley Carter and Officers David Hamlet and William Mangan were presented with Life Saving Award for detaining a suicidal subject.
In October 2012 the four were dispatched to the parking structure on a call of a suicidal man standing on the ledge of the top floor.
Wright said Springer and Mangan “did a great job of speaking” to the subject from the ground and were able to talk him off the ledge while Hamlet and Carter were able to sneak into the structure and take the man into protective custody.
“Everyone knows what they are supposed to do and they deployed excellent. I applaud them for their efforts,” Wright said.
“Working together they brought great success bringing a person to safety,” said Mayor Al Haidous.  “Those are the kind of things you can’t put a price on.”
Civilian resident Bernard Moner was presented with the John Valchine Crime Prevention Award for assisting road patrol with an arrest.
Moner was a reserve officer for the Wayne Police Department several years ago.
He was driving on Clinton Street when he noticed a subject running from the Dollar General Store on Michigan Avenue. Sgt. Andrew McKay and Det. Stephanie  Strasser were chasing him.
Moner jumped out of his car and chased the suspect down. He held him in custody until the officer arrived on the scene.
“Bernie had no idea what the guy was running from. He put himself in harm’s way,” Wright said.
“I knew your quality the first time I met you,” Haidous said. “I hope you continue your relationship with the community and the City of Wayne.”