Police in Campbell, Lowellville recognized at city council

Staff report

CAMPBELL

Both Campbell and Lowellville police chiefs honored some of their officers for their service to their communities the past year.

Campbell police Lt. John Rusnak said nine officers received awards for several reasons, including conducting hundreds of drug-related arrests the past few months, serving as instructors, or leading the police unit’s foot-patrol team.

“This is the third time in almost two years we’ve awarded our officers,” he said. “It’s the end of the year, so we like to highlight to city council some of the things our men have done.”

Rusnak said the department made a goal to rid the city of narcotics problems and to create a foot-patrol unit this year. He said he estimates both efforts have brought the department’s crime down about 66 percent from what it was last year.

Lowellville Police Chief Ryan Bonacci said he also awarded patrol officer Dan Lamping this past week for his off-duty service. He said he received a call from a community member this week about how Lamping helped an elderly woman get up after she fell when he was off duty. He said the woman was walking somewhere to pay a bill.

“After he got her up, I guess [Lamping] actually offered to pay that bill for her,” he said. “We want to recognize him for doing this because it wasn’t required of him.”

Lamping was honored at Lowellville City Council’s meeting Tuesday night.