COLUMBIANA CO. Police slated to honor cops who stand out
A group will honor two chiefs who retired in September.
LISBON -- The Ohio Valley Law Enforcement Executives will honor a veteran Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper, a volunteer patrolman and two retired police chiefs at its annual banquet Monday at the Columbiana County Career and Technical Center.
Leetonia Police Chief John Soldano said Trooper Kenneth Metz of the Lisbon Post of the OSHP and Washingtonville police Patrolman Frank Anderson will receive the group's officer of the year awards.
Gary Clark, retired East Palestine police chief, and Dave Long, retired Wellsville police chief, will receive the group's police officers hall of fame awards, he said.
U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Portsmouth, D-6th, will be the keynote speaker for the event.
Where are they now?
Dave Long retired Sept. 20, 2001, ending a law enforcement career that began Aug. 5, 1974.
Clark retired Sept. 17, 2001, and is now East Palestine's city manager. Clark began his law enforcement career Nov. 4, 1973.
Washingtonville Chief J.R. Blakeman nominated Anderson for officer of the year based on his overall attitude and performance as a patrolman and for his efforts in responding to a four-wheel vehicle accident in a secluded area.
Anderson has been a patrolman for nine months. On Jan. 13, Anderson responded to pleas of a young boy who took him about a quarter of a mile into a wooded field where Richard Gay had injured his back.
Blakeman said Anderson removed his uniform jacket and covered Gay and "calmed and stabilized him" until a medical squad took over. Gay was taken to a Pittsburgh hospital by helicopter, where attending doctors told Blakeman that without the care given by Anderson during the crucial time after Gay's injury, Gay would likely have been paralyzed for the rest of his life.
"Patrolman Anderson has shown that in spite of him being fresh out of the academy, he has what it takes to be a true hero," Blakeman wrote. He said not only does Anderson truly exemplify what "protect and serve means," he does it as an unpaid officer required to work 24 hours a month.
Super trooper
Lt. George C. Williams, commander of the Lisbon post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol nominated Metz, who has been a trooper about 111/2 years and was the 2001 Ohio trooper of the year and the Warren District trooper of the year.
Williams said Metz "can be counted on and depended upon to handle any situation that may arise."
Metz earned the ACE award in 2001, for recovering five or more stolen vehicles and arresting those who stole the vehicles. He recovered six stolen vehicles and was the only ACE award winner the post has had in several years.
Williams said Metz is also consistently the post leader in DUI enforcement.
Soldano said Ohio Valley Law Enforcement Executives membership is made up of area chiefs of police, county sheriffs, prosecutors and members of the FBI and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.