O’Fallon Police Department awarded grants, promotes officers and honors service
The O’Fallon Police Department will use $12,000 in grant money to better equip officers for safety.
Police Chief Eric Van Hook accepted the check from Kyle D. Shell, public entity team director in the Illinois counties for Risk Management Services through the Insurance Program Managers Group (IPMG) — the police department insurance provider — during the O’Fallon City Council meeting April 5.
In addition, two veteran officers were recognized for promotions and four honorees singled out for annual awards were presented.
Shell explained his company likes to team up with clients to help with grant purchases to better serve their missions. He said he has enjoyed working with the O’Fallon Police Department on three or four occasions over the past seven years
Shell said the funds are available for better training and better policies and is “on behalf of everything you are doing for your guys.”
“This helps keep your guys on the streets safe and the city safe too,” Shell said.
Captain Kirk Brueggeman said one grant was for safety, to purchase such items as bulletproof vests’ steel plates and helmets.
This is used to help pay for safety-related items that would help protect employees from physical danger or help protect the agency from legal liability.
“This grant pays up to 50 percent of matching funds up to $10,000,” Brueggeman said. “We used this to purchase ballistic helmets for every officer on the department. We also purchased steel armor for our external vest carriers —these steel plates further protect our officers from high velocity rounds like a rifle.”
Brueggeman said the department was pleased about more protection.
“Although we hope to never have to use them, it is important to have these items available to protect our officers if the need arises,” he said.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the department received a $2,000 grant for Personal Protective Equipment, which is to help shield from injury and infection. Brueggeman said they used it to purchase disposable nitrile gloves that keep hands sanitary and will be helpful in reducing cross-contamination.
Van Hook complimented Brueggeman on filling all the grant paperwork out for the department.
“He did a ton of work on it,” Van Hook said.
OPD veteran officers earn promotion
Two veteran police officers were promoted that night. With the recent retirement of Lt. Rob Schmidtke, the department was able to do that, Van Hook said.
Sgt. Craig Koch was promoted to lieutenant and Officer Brian Gimpel was promoted from detective to sergeant.
Koch has been with the department for almost 24 years, serving in many roles, including detective sergeant and patrol sergeant. He will stay in the patrol division, but now serve as a lieutenant.
Gimpel has been with OPD for almost 21 years, also serving many roles. He will now take over as a patrol shift supervisor.
“We are extremely fortunate to have two excellent choices for promotions. Both are very deserving, and we look forward to the leadership they will provide our department,” Van Hook said.
“We are extremely proud of them. They bring the best attitude and work ethic every day, and we’re excited to add them to the command staff,” he said.
Schmidtke retires
After more than 24 years of service to the city, Schmidtke retired March 24. An Air Force veteran, he joined the OPD as a patrol officer on Jan. 7, 1997. He has served as a field training officer, DARE officer and School Resource Officer.
He was assigned to the regional drug investigation task force MEGSI and was a deputy report officer on the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. Additionally, he was a longtime instructor at Southwestern Illinois College Police Academy.
Even in retirement, Schmidtke plans to remain active with the peer-to-peer support program he helped create and implement over the past several years.
“His dedication to the mental health of our officers and telecommunicators is truly commendable,” Van Hook said.
Police chaplain earns award
Brad Lewis, one of the police chaplains, was presented with the O’Fallon Police Department Community Service Award prior to the police promotion ceremony.
During the initial stages of the pandemic, Lewis organized the #OTownProud program, which focused on boosting community spirit while supporting local businesses and first responders throughout the area.
“The impact he had on our community was enormous,” Van Hook said..
Like Schmidtke, Lewis is also passionate about the mental health of the police department and is active with the peer-to-peer counseling program.
“He routinely checks in with our officers to see how he can help,” Van Hook said. “We are so very fortunate to have him call O’Fallon home.”
Additional awards
Other awards, usually presented in December, were announced recently, including police officer Michael Adamson, 2020 Officer of the Year Award; Telecommunicator Michael Shewmaker, 2020 O’Fallon Police Department Civilian of the Year; and Jason Butler, 2020 O’Fallon-Shiloh EMS Employee of the Year.
Adamson has been with the department since 2015 and has quickly become a leader and mentor to many of the young officers. He serves in the patrol division as a field training officer and a member of the ILEAS Special Response Team.
“His strong work ethic and dedication to the community are just a few of the many reasons we are proud to call Officer Adamson one of our own,” Van Hook said.
Shewmaker has been a telecommunicator for MECOMM since 2019.
“He has routinely exhibited excellence and dedication to the communications center. His positive attitude and strong work ethic are second to none,” said Support Services Supervisor Daryl Ostendorf.
Butler, who has been with the department for 14 years, is known for his exceptional skill set and his dedication and compassion to his patients. He coordinators with St. Louis area children’s hospitals to track children with special needs in the community STARS program.
“We are very proud of all that they have done for the city,” Van Hook said.