The Strongsville Police Department has recognized officers, a dispatcher and a citizen who displayed exemplary performances in 2016. The in-house awards were presented June 5, 2017.
In addition, one officer was recognized by the St. Francis Knights of Columbus as the 2017 Police officer of the Year.
Officer of the Year
Ptl. Jeffrey Steving
Jeff has led the department in OVI arrests since 2007. In 2016, he had 54 OVI arrests. Jeff is also the department's only drug recognition expert. Jeff has been recognized multiple times by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) as a “Top Cop” and has received MADD’s Award of Excellence in 2015 and 2016.
Compassion Award
Ptl. Brian Vlna
Brian assisted an out-of-town family that was staying at a local hotel. The family had a daughter who had special needs and needed to eat through a feeding tube. The family had forgotten their blender. Ptl Vlna gave this family his personal Vitamix blender. He let them keep it for their entire vacation so that they didn’t have to buy one or cancel their vacation.
Blue Collar
Sgt. Brian Sloan
Brian was able to solve numerous burglaries after stopping a suspicious vehicle. The two occupants had arrest warrants from other jurisdictions. The car they were driving contained pry bars and hammers along with miscellaneous jewelry. Sgt Sloan interviewed the two and received a confession. Follow-up investigation cleared six burglaries in Strongsville and 15 more in neighboring communities.
Quality Service
Ptl. Michael Mendise
Michael performed CPR on a male who had suffered a massive heart attack at his workplace. Doctors say without Ptl. Mendise’s life saving efforts, the man would not have survived.
Professionalism
Dispatcher Somer Oliva
Somer took a call of a female who was shot in the throat. Somer was able to remain calm and ask pertinent questions and then relay that information to responding units.
Prosecutor's Award
Marcello Marsala
Marcello did a thorough investigation of a stolen trailer that resulted in the solving of numerous other crimes from other jurisdictions.
Citizens award
Robert “RJ” Saponari
Strongsville PD and FD were dispatched to a single car crash with injuries on I-71. Arriving units found that Mr. Saponari, who was a tow truck driver, had blocked the fast lane with his wrecker, creating a buffer zone, reducing the chances of a secondary crash. Mr Saponari had also retrieved a first aid kit from his wrecker in order to render aid to the injured driver. Officers found Saponari inside the crashed car applying pressure to an open wound on the driver's head.