Three Officers Honored - Monroe County Michigan
February 17, 2006, By Michael Neary, Monroe County News
The theme of collaboration surfaced repeatedly during the Monroe Exchange Club’s 38th annual awards for state trooper, sheriff’s deputy and city police officer of the year. This year’s winners were Michigan State Police Trooper Bret C. Smith, Monroe County sheriff’s Deputy David M. LaMontaine and Monroe Police Department Cpl. Chris Fuher.
"I’m a true believer that leadership comes from the ground up," said Lt. Mary Kapp, who heads the Monroe post of the Michigan State Police. Introducing Trooper Smith, who has been on the force for five years, she said words like leadership as well "conscientious" and "integrity" appeared on the peer nominations that led to his award.
Lt. Kapp noted that Trooper Smith was responsible for 20 percent of recent alcohol-related arrests on the Monroe post. She also recounted some examples of Trooper Smith’s work, including saving a man from committing suicide by pulling him from the road and instructing his girlfriend to call 911 — when he was off-duty. "I knew that there would be a sheriff’s deputy coming to back me up," Trooper Smith said as he accepted his award.
Acknowledging the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Monroe Police Department,
he said, "I want to make that known — we work together." Sheriff Tilman Crutchfield noted, as had Lt. Kapp, that peers also were active in choosing Deputy LaMontaine for this year’s award.
"It’s the best of the great, and we allow them to select their own," he said. Sheriff Crutchfield said Deputy LaMontaine did some early police work in Clay Township, sharing duties with his father and brother, and then went on to work in Wayne County before coming to Monroe. His responsibilities here, Sheriff Crutchfield said, include investigation of child abuse, child neglect and criminal sexual assault.
Deputy LaMontaine, who’s worked in the sheriff’s office since July, 1999, complimented the Monroe Exchange Club as he accepted his award. "We both serve our communities and seek to make them better places," he said.
Monroe police Chief John Michrina lauded Cpl. Fuher’s consistency and versatility as he presented the city’s award. "Chris has on days, up weeks all the time," he said of Cpl. Fuher, who has served in the department for the past 17 years. He added that strong evaluations for Cpl. Fuher came from across the spectrum of the police department’s personnel.
In an event packed with expressions of gratitude, Judge Mark Braunlich, serving as the luncheon’s master of ceremonies, thanked the officers for "their role in contributing to the safety of Monroe and to the quality of life that we all enjoy." The luncheon also had its moments of levity. Trooper Smith elicited laughter when — after his work patrolling the highways just had been described — he said, "I see a lot of familiar faces in the crowd."
City politics slipped into the luncheon, as well. Mayor C.D. (Al) Cappuccilli drew chuckles when, before praising the officers, he announced that he had just leased a Hummer. That tongue-in-cheek remark alluded to the recent controversy over whether the mayor should be granted a vehicle for city business. But most of the luncheon focused on the officers. "Effective law enforcement is important to the community," said Judge Braunlich. "It’s important that we recognize that."
Retrieved February 22, 2006 from http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060217/NEWS01/102170010/-1/NEWS