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YSU police officer receives an award
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
Sgt. Kris Conwill of the Wooster Police Department and Deputy Chief Michael Cretella from the Youngstown State University Police Department were honored in Columbus on Wednesday as “officers of the year” for their mental health crisis-intervention efforts.
The awards were presented by Attorney General Mike DeWine and Ohio Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton.
More than 5,500 officers statewide have received training to deal with mental health issues, learning how to approach, talk and react to people who may be in need of treatment.
“It helps us reach a forgotten population, people that need services, in particular at the university level,” Cretella said. “We’re seeing more and more kids coming in with issues and problems. ... When those parents drop those kids off on our campus, we become responsible. We’re like the parent, so we want to work with them to see that they get any treatment and services that they need.”
Conwill was honored for his efforts to train other Wooster officers and for his work with individuals with mental illnesses.
“At least two individuals are alive today because of his actions,” DeWine said, describing instances in which the officer stopped people from committing suicide. “... He called on his [crisis intervention] skills to remove them from harm’s way and get them the help that they so very urgently needed.”
DeWine cited Cretella for his efforts to establish crisis-intervention training in Mahoning County at YSU.
“He speaks to groups ... about [crisis intervention] and encourages every officer to take part in the program,” DeWine said.