January 9 will mark National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.), in which partnering organizations who support law enforcement officers nationwide show public support to recognize the arduous career path that law enforcement officers have chosen.
According to the Concerns of Police Survivors website, L.E.A.D. is designed to spread positivity regarding law enforcement, and to represent that positivity through a public format.
“Those citizens who appreciate law enforcement and are discouraged about the negative attention being given to law enforcement are encouraged to take time on January 9th to show their support,” the website said.
Concerns of Police Survivors suggests citizens change their profile picture on social media to an image frame they have provided or wear blue clothing in support of law enforcement. Citizens can send a card of support to their local police department or state agency, or they can share a story about a positive law enforcement experience via social media. The website names numerous other ways citizens can show their support.
The Owensboro Times would like to recognize members of the local law enforcement community and the number of years each has served.
Kentucky State Police
Daviess County Sheriff’s Office
Owensboro Police Department
OPD officers listed in order of years of service:
Chief Arthur Ealum (27), Dep. Chief Jeff Speed (27), Mjr. Gordon Black (20), Ofc. Rick Latanzio (19), Ofc. Nathan Godeke (19), Sgt. Adam Johnston (17), Ofc. Steven Morgan (17), Sgt. Clinton Earnest (17), Lt. David Powell (17), Lt. Steve Wechtenhiser (17), Sgt. Michael Nichols (16), Det. Jason Goddard (16), Ofc. Michael Roby (16), Lt. Michael Staples (16), Ofc. Heath Stokes (16), Lt. Jason Winkler (16), Det. Bryan Velotta (15), Ofc. Christopher Watkins (15), Lt. Randall Foster (15), Ofc. Jason McKinney (15), Sgt. Brandon Sims (15), Sgt. Courtney Yerington (15), Ofc. Loren Yonts (15), Det. Joshua Alsip (13), Ofc. Ben Campbell (13), Ofc. Aaron Hamilton (13), Sgt. Jeremy Mulligan (13), Sgt. Michael Page (13), Ofc. Faith James (12), Lt. Tristan Russelburg (11), Ofc. Philip Walling (11), Ofc. Dane Holder (10), Det. Mark Saffran (10), Sgt. James “Chris” Green (10), Ofc.Joseph Jones (10), Ofc. Scott Norris (10), Sgt. Christopher Burns (10), Det. Eric Flory (10), Det. Nicholas Wellman (10), Ofc. Anthony Williams (10), Ofc. Michael Matthews (9), Sgt. Kristopher Collins (9), Sgt. Jason Lee (9), Ofc. Connie Chapman (9), Ofc. Ken Bennett (8), Ofc. James Parham (8), Det. Todd Wilkerson (8),Ofc. Lucas Hardy (7), Det. Ed Champion (7), Ofc. Andrew Boggess (7), Ofc.Salvador Castro, Det. Hunter Hinton (7), Ofc. Alex Simmons (7), Ofc. Eric Wimsatt (7), Ofc. Cody Cliff (5), Det. Benjamin Fleury (5), Det. Michael O’Herron (5), Det. Allen Schrecker (5), Ofc. Aron Contratto (5), Ofc. Michael Sanner (4), Ofc. Shartez McHenry (4), Ofc. Caleb Payne (4), Ofc. Timothy Hatfield (3), Ofc. Larry Jones (3), Ofc. Joshua Bennett (3), Ofc. Steven Casey, Ofc. Adam Cottrell (3), Ofc. Donald Haynes (3), Ofc. Mark Lusk (3), Ofc. Hannah Coffman (2), Ofc. Thomas “Michael” Davis (2), Ofc. Andrew Hurt (2), Ofc. Steven Phillips (2), Ofc. Jennifer Haynes (2), Ofc. Zachary Morris (2), Ofc. Joshua White (2), Ofc. Kevin Langley (1), Ofc. Kaalab “Shayne” Bratcher (1), Ofc. Wesley Dunn (1), Ofc. Zane Glass (1), Ofc. Andrew “Logan” O’Bryan (1), Det. Chris Brown (1), Ofc. Craig Sutter (1), Ofc. Whitney Adamson-Payne (1), Ofc. Kristen Dirickson (1), Ofc. Easton Russelburg (1), Ofc. Martin Brooks (1), Det. Troy Couch (1), Ofc. Eric Aull (<1), Ofc. Logan Burnett (<1), Ofc. Travis White (<1), Ofc. Jeffrey “Dylan” Evans (<1), Ofc. Matthew Waits (<1), Ofc. Caleb Peterson (<1), Ofc. Austin Esther (<1), Ofc. Michael “Cody” Johnson (<1), Ofc. Kyle Mullins (<1), Ofc. Melody Stephenson (<1), Ofc. Jeff Roby (<1), Recruit Donovan Aders (<1), Ofc. Jeff Burnett (<1), Recruit Shawn Cucci (<1), Recruit Haydon Humpreys (<1), Recruit Logan Nevitt (<1), Recruit Charles “Luke” Whittaker (<1), Recruit Chad Gilbert (<1), Recruit Derek Griffith (<1), Recruit John Bell (<1), Ofc. John Doucet (<1), Ofc. Corey Moore (<1), Ofc. John Preston (<1)
