AWARDS LUNCHEON McKelvey thanks officers for their performance

Several elected officials attended the event, including a mayoral hopeful.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- "Thank you for what you do."
That's how Mayor George M. McKelvey greeted police officers Friday afternoon during a luncheon at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on Via Mount Carmel. The annual police awards luncheon included awards for lifesaving, excellent police duty, meritorious service and letters of commendation. Some officers received more than one award.
Around 60 officers attended, some with family members. Police Chief Robert E. Bush Jr. and many award recipients were not able to attend.
Capt. Kenneth Centorame, who gave the opening remarks, expressed thanks to Father David Shortt of St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church, a Youngstown Police Department chaplain.
"He's our friend and colleague," Centorame said. "If he didn't answer the call from God, I'm sure he'd be answering calls for service for the Youngstown Police Department."
Centorame said officers responded to more than 100,000 calls for service last year. The 911 center handled roughly 200,000 calls, he said.
Centorame gave a brief synopsis of each officer's actions that resulted in an award. The award year ran from March 2004 to March 2005.
Breakdown of awards
Three months ago, the burglary suspect Patrolman Frank Bigowsky captured in the Brownlee Woods area turned out to be responsible for nearly 40 break-ins, some in Austintown, Boardman and Hubbard. Bigowsky, on routine patrol, searched for the suspect, keeping in mind the previous burglary times and locations and the man's description.
The officer located the suspect and chased him down on foot. The burglar had stolen property in his pockets and his footprints matched those found at other crime scenes.
Detective Sgt. Michael Lambert and Patrolmen Ramon Cox and Steve Woodberry broke up a lucrative crack cocaine business on the East Side. Their efforts resulted in the federal indictment of 19 gang members. They received excellent police duty awards.
Between 2003 and 2004, Detective Sgt. Gerard Slattery and Patrolman Sam Mosca, as members of the Vice Squad, investigated more than 300 drug cases and arrested 806 offenders. Their search warrants turned up 279 firearms.
Two life-saving awards were handed out Friday, the first to Patrolmen Assad Chaibi, Russell Davis and Brad DiTullio. In May 2004, they saved a suicidal man who jumped out a second floor window by grabbing onto his legs and holding tight.
In September 2004, Patrolmen John Hull and Jerry Fulmer found a young woman ready to jump from a second story window. Hull talked to her to keep her attention while Fulmer entered the house and was able to pull her to safety. A suicide note was found at the scene.
Patrolman Michael Walker's hunch about a store robber's car led to recovery of property and an indictment. He received a meritorious service award.
The short stories of each officers' act of heroism or initiative were met with handshakes and applause.
McKelvey presented proclamations to Ohio Adult Parole Authority officers John Geras, Jeff Kaschak and Robert O'Malley. The probation officers sometimes work alongside city officers.
meade@vindy.com