August 2017 Police Officer of the Month:
Patrol Officer Paul Fronckowiak, Canine Unit
Patrol Officer Paul Fronckowiak, K-9 Unit
Since 2009, when he was assigned to the Canine Unit, PO Paul Fronckowiak has participated in hundreds of community outreach and special events with his K-9 partner Benny, engaging thousands of people with his friendly demeanor, talks about safety, and Paul’s favorite topic: the great work done by Benny and fellow members of the Canine Unit. PO Fronckowiak is a certified police canine handler and a bomb technician with the CPD Bomb Squad. Benny is certified both as a patrol dog and in explosives detection. Together, they respond city-wide to assist in all five neighborhood police districts answering calls for unattended and suspicious packages, tracking suspects, performing building searches and helping locate missing persons. They also do security sweeps of venues for special events.
PO Fronckowiak’s Canine Partner, Benny
Whenever called upon, they have enthusiastically participated in events that engage the public, representing the CPD and Canine Unit in a most exemplary manner. Perhaps Cleveland Police Foundation Liaison Officer Captain Keith Sulzer stated it best: “Paul is available for all the Cleveland Police Foundation and Community Policing events at a moment’s notice. He and Benny go the extra mile to be engaging, entertaining and informative. There are few encounters that put a bigger smile on your face than seeing Paul and Benny interact with children.” When advised of that statement, PO Fronckowiak quipped, “Benny does the hard part; I’m just the chauffeur.” For his devotion to duty and to the philosophy of community policing, the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to recognize Patrol Officer Paul Fronckowiak as its Police Officer of the Month for August 2017.
About the Police Officer of the Month Program
The Cleveland Police Foundation – in partnership with the Cleveland Division of Police, Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, and the Fraternal Order of Police Cleveland Lodge 8 – is proud of the Police Officer of the Month program. The program’s purpose is to recognize members of the Cleveland Division of Police who not only perform their duties in an exemplary and extraordinary manner, but also excel in efforts that are consistent with a major tenet of the CPF’s mission to strengthen the bonds between citizens and police officers… building bridges, creating opportunities for dialogue, and forging positive relationships within the community.
Already aware that officers in the Cleveland Division of Police routinely go out of their way to help their fellow citizens, committee members are not surprised by the large number of candidates. With so many outstanding officers, selecting one recipient per month proved to be a somewhat daunting task.
When asked why bestow these awards, CPF Executive Director Charles W. Lane, Jr. states, “In today’s busy world, while some deeds may seem fairly insignificant, we hold out hope that such random acts of kindness may have a significant impact on a person’s life. Even if not, it’s nice to know that our police officers do for others what they would want someone else to do for a member of their family if the opportunity presented itself.”
Police officers across this great country perform similar deeds day-in and day-out, with little fanfare and really not seeking, nor even wanting recognition. We commend these officers for their compassion and personal commitment to making our city a better place to live.
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The Cleveland Police Foundation is the official charity for the Cleveland Division of Police and the only organization authorized to solicit charitable contributions on its behalf.
In addition to providing funding for youth and community outreach programs, community policing and engagement initiatives, safety & crime prevention programs, and supporting the members of the Cleveland Division of Police to help them better perform their duties, the CPF proudly supports the following charities in accomplishing their mission.
Contributions to the CPF are tax deductible under section 501 (c)(3) of the IRS Code.
Thank you for supporting the mission of the CPF.