2019 Police Officer of the Month Awards

Detective John Freehoffer is assigned to the Cleveland Police Domestic Violence Unit and is a tremendous advocate for victims of domestic violence. Freehoffer has also done incredible work in promoting police-community relations. He volunteers his time to organize the Heroes Run, a 5K race/run on Rocky River Drive in Cleveland.

Each year the race funds three scholarships to surviving family members of officers and firefighters listed on the Police and Firefighter Memorial. Proceeds also pay for the maintenance of the memorial. And if that isn’t enough, Detective Freehoffer also organizes the Cleveland Police “Shop with a Cop,” a Christmas shopping spree for children who have witnessed or are victims of domestic violence, homicide. or sex crimes.

When asked about this program, Detective Freehoffer stated, “I am honored to say ‘Shop with a Cop,’ which started nine years ago and began with 20 children, had 95 kids this year who shopped and interacted with our officers. In total since we started the program, we have spent around $100,000 and helped around 500 children.”

It is because of his devotion and dedication to the community that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name Detective John Freehoffer as its Police Officer of the Month for December 2019.

Sergeant Tryna McCaulley has faithfully served her community as a law enforcement officer since 1994 and currently works as the Officer in Charge of the Fifth District Detective Bureau.

Sergeant McCaulley works closely with the elderly whenever possible.  She escorts them to financial institutions so they feel safe and ensures they have the resources they need through social workers and social programs.  Tryna also has an active role in the lives of the children in the community through her participation in the Police Athletic League.  She visits schools to help educate the students in making good decisions at an early age.

When asked about Sergeant McCaulley’s role in the Fifth District community, Lieutenant Marcus Montanaro stated “Tryna is always willing to help out with community events both during her work and while on her own time, some of which are not her area of responsibility. She has received notoriety for her participation in such events, however humbly does not look for such attention.”

It is because of her dedication and devotion to the community she serves that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name Sergeant Tryna McCaulley as its Police Officer of the Month for November 2019.

Patrol Officer Lynn Hampton of the Cleveland Police Community Relations Unit has been an excellent example of community policing!

Officer Hampton often uses his own money and resources to create programs and interactions with the community!!

Sergeant Tim Higgins of the Community Relations Unit says of Lynn, “Hampton has embraced his role as a community relations officer since his return to the Community Relations Unit.  Officer Hampton took the initiative to begin many programs, interacting with children at Washington Golf Course with the First Tee program, working with members of Job Corps to strengthen relationships through open conversations, and providing Safe Senior presentations at senior living centers.  Additionally, Officer Hampton has been a mentor to the other officers of the Community Relations Unit by showing the opportunities that officers have to strengthen relationships and opinions of the Cleveland Division of Police with the community.”

It is because of his dedication and devotion to the community he serves that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name Patrol Officer Lynn Hampton as its Police Officer of the Month for October 2019.

Cleveland Division of Police Second District Patrol Officer Carl Dooley is a prime example of a policeman who cares about the community he serves!

Recently, a six-year-old boy from the Clark-Fulton neighborhood had his brand new Spiderman bike taken from him in a robbery. The young boy was riding down the street on his bike when he was knocked to the ground by a pair of ten and twelve-year-old brothers. They made off with the Spiderman bike!

Officer Dooley learned of the robbery and was familiar with the youngster as a result of a previous encounter with his family. Seeing how devastated the six-year-old boy and his family were as a result of this traumatic event, Officer Dooley made his way to Walmart in Steelyard Commons. The officer bought a brand new bike for the boy and then presented the bike to the child before reporting to work that day.

When reached to comment on this event, Commander Thomas Stacho of the Second District stated, “Officer Carl Dooley is a humble man and has actually done that (given bikes and other gifts) to other crime victims throughout his career. He is a caring and generous man and is most deserving of this recognition.”

It is because of his dedication and devotion to the community he serves that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name Patrol Officer Carl Dooley as its Police Officer of the Month for September 2019.

Cleveland Division of Police Patrol Officer Taylor Bohlen is assigned to the NICE Unit (Neighborhood Impact Community Engagement), so it wasn’t very surprising that he recently played a significant part in saving a life. Ashley Spencer was walking down the stairs at Cleveland City Hall when she experienced a severe asthma attack and frantically waved to Officer Bohlen, who was standing nearby. Ashley collapsed while PO Bohlen assessed the situation, could not find her pulse, and immediately administered CPR, saving her life.

After the incident Ashley recalled, “I was taking my inhaler and it wasn’t working and in a matter of seconds I went down for the count.”

Officer Bohlen remarked, “I was able to put my prior work experience to use as well as the training I received from the department. Combining that with being at the right place at the right time made everything come together.” Officer Bohlen also made it a point to visit Ashley at the hospital to check on her condition.

Officer Bohlen’s immediate supervisor, Lieutenant Arneil Rose commented, “I first met Patrol Officer Taylor Bohlen at the Fifth District. From the beginning you could tell he was serious about his career path. He already had a label of service about him from his previous EMT training. Officer Bohlen is new to the NICE Unit, but I remember from his interview that he expressed that he wanted to be of service to the NICE unit. How lucky we and the citizens of Cleveland are to have him.”

It is because of his caring for the citizens he serves and his devotion to his work that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name Patrol Officer Taylor Bohlen as its Police Officer of the Month for August 2019.

Recently, First District Sergeant Rochelle Bottone had the pleasure of meeting a resident of West 146^th Street.  This neighbor wanted to show his appreciation to all the Cleveland Division of Police officers by displaying a law enforcement flag in his yard. Sergeant Bottone was able to procure a flag and dropped it off at his house. On a subsequent visit to the man’s home, the sergeant discovered that the man’s therapy dog would sometimes leave the backyard through a hole in the fence.

Sergeant Bottone recruited other officers from the First District. They returned to the man’s property and not only repaired the fence but cleaned up the entire yard!

When asked about this unselfish gesture, First District Commander Daniel Fay stated, “Kudos to Sergeant Bottone for initiating this action and thanks to Detective Adams and officers Nuti, Hoban, Adams, Turner, and Zak for representing the true meaning of ‘To Serve.’

It is because of her caring for her fellow man and devotion to her duties that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name Sergeant Rochelle Bottone as its Police Officer of the Month for July 2019.  Also, a big thanks to all the officers who assisted!

The Cleveland Police Foundation is very proud to support the Cleveland Police Honor Guard for the important work they do and recognize them as one of our umbrella charities!

The Cleveland Police Honor Guard ensures that all appropriate courtesies are rendered at the funerals and memorial services for active and retired police officers, especially those who have died in the line of duty. Additionally, they represent the Cleveland Division of Police at civic functions, parades, and sporting events by serving as its color guard, and with precision marching and drill routines.

During their recent trip to Washington D.C. for 2019 National Police Week, the Cleveland Police Honor Guard had the honor of escorting the family of recently deceased CPD Officer Vu Nguyen during the candlelight vigil, as well as other families as they departed their buses. On National Police Officers Memorial Day they stood with thousands on the Capitol lawn for the official service and address by President Trump and other dignitaries.

When asked about the Cleveland Police Honor Guard, member PO Tom Ross stated, “It is critical that an agency the size of Cleveland has a presence at National Police Week every year. When there is a line of duty death in Northeast Ohio our Ceremonial Unit is often one of the first resources requested to assist that agency.”

It is because of their dedication and devotion to their duty that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name The Cleveland Police Honor Guard as its Police Officers of the Month for June 2019.

In 1999, Sergeant Andy Ezzo founded the Greater Cleveland Police Scholarship Fund. Since then, the fund has provided thousands of dollars in scholarships to support the education of high school seniors in the Greater Cleveland area, as well as providing support to surviving families of slain officers!

Sergeant Ezzo explains the GCP Scholarship Fund: “I organized the Fund in 1999, the year after Detective Robert Clark was killed in the line of duty. The first year, we organized a softball tournament in memory of Robert Clark. Proceeds from the tournament allowed us to provide a $2,000 college scholarship to our first recipient. As the years moved on, we added the annual Police Memorial Motorcycle Rally and the annual “Salute to Our Heroes” benefit auction and dinner. Hosting these events with assistance from our wonderful sponsors has allowed us to provide over $250,000 in college scholarships to the children of police officers. In addition, over $68,000 has been provided to those police families who have given the ultimate sacrifice and lost a loved one in the line of duty.

“In 2002, the Akron Police Department constructed a memorial in front of their building which includes an eternal flame within the memorial. With a portion of the proceeds from the annual motorcycle rally, we have been able to provide an annual check of $2,500 to the Akron Police Memorial Society to keep the eternal flame lit.

“We have memorialized and provided funds to eight police families who have lost their loved ones in the line of duty. My purpose and my goal was to not only help the police families who have lost their loved ones and the police families having to send their children to college, but I always wanted to memorialize the fallen officers and never forget.

“Over the past 20 years, I am very proud to say I have accomplished the goals I have set and will always remember our fallen.”

It is because of the work done in our community and for our children that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name Sergeant Andy Ezzo as its Police Officer of the Month for May 2019.

The Cleveland Police Mounted Unit has been a great supporter of the Cleveland Police Foundation! They help promote our mission by having their dedicated officers interact in a positive way with the community they serve.  It seems that just their presence at our events evokes smiles and laughter to all who attend!

When asked to comment on the importance of the Mounted Unit as far as Community Policing is concerned Captain Keith Sulzer stated, “They bring our police officers closer to our community by creating conversation, good will, and trust.  One such incident was at the Stockyard Bike-A-Thon when Officer Janusczak and his horse Mandy danced the Cupid Shuffle.  The video was viewed on YouTube nearly 100,000 times and put the Cleveland Division of Police in the national spotlight!”

It is because of their dedication to the citizens they serve and their outstanding Community Policing efforts that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name The Cleveland Police Mounted Unit as its Police Officers of the Month for April 2019.

Patrol Officers Eduardo Colon and Long Dang

Patrol Officers Eduardo Colon and Long Dang, from the Traffic Unit, go up and beyond!  During a very frigid cold spell in January, these officers were spotlighted on Fox 8 for their efforts to take care of the many people who are homeless in the downtown area.

Officers Colon and Dang acquired blankets from St Vincent Charity Hospital and sought out people living on the streets to keep them warm.  Colon and Dang understand that many refuse to go to shelters and that some of them suffer from mental health issues.  So the officers not only gave them blankets but made certain to check on their welfare, seeing how those on the street were coping with the weather and if any emergency actions were needed to ensure their safety.

These two officers regularly check on people in the homeless population, bringing them food and often paying for supplies out of their own pockets. “They appreciate it when you come up to them, talk to them not like a police officer to a person, but as a person to a person,” said Officer Dang.  These officers, as well as the entire CPD Traffic Unit, truly care about those in need in our community and go out of their way to ensure the safety all of our community.

It is because of their compassion for their fellow man and devotion to their profession that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name Patrol Officers Eduardo Colon and Long Dang as Police Officers of the Month for March 2019.

Last December, Fourth District Officer Antoine Payne’s house caught on fire and was destroyed by water and smoke damage. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the blaze but everything inside was lost.

As soon as fellow patrol officer and partner Katharine Byrd heard of the fire, she bought the entire family food and refused to take money to help pay for the meals. The next day Officer Byrd helped organize a group of people to move PO Payne’s entire family into her own home. She said there was no rush in having his family move out and to take his time getting his family back in order as well in finding a place to live.

One of PO Byrd’s fellow officers, PO Ken Kirk contacted the Cleveland Police Foundation and stated, “I feel Patrol Officer Katharine Byrd should be recognized for going well above what’s expected of a partner and friend by doing everything she has done and continues to do for Officer Payne and his family. She’s an angel and a saint for her efforts.” We also contacted Officer Byrd’s immediate supervisor, Sergeant Stephen Beckner who stated, “I am extremely proud to work with Officer Katharine Byrd… her actions, as incredible as they are, do not surprise me at all. She is a great example of how a partner on the job is truly an extended family member.”

It is because of her caring for a fellow officer in need and her devotion to her profession that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name Patrol Officer Katharine Byrd as Police Officer of the Month for February 2019.

Patrol Officers Lyniece Turner, Juan DeJesus and Kerry Novak-Adams

The Cleveland Police Foundation’s Police Officers of the Month for January of 2019 are First District Community Engagement Officers Kerry Novak-Adams, Lyniece Turner, and Juan DeJesus!

Although the Community Engagement Officer program has only been in existence for a short time, these three officers have done an incredible job weaving themselves into the fabric of the First District community.  They do an excellent job working with their councilmen and community development organizations, have developed an excellent relationship with the refugee and immigrant communities, and have made a considerable effort to get into the schools in order to develop a better relationship with our children.  The officers often pitch in their own dollars to help build these relationships and recently organized a Christmas party with food, gifts, Santa and Mrs. Claus for nearly 100 children from Laura’s Home.

“The First District Community Engagement Officers (CEOs) embody the importance of police and community relations – by building mutual trust between police officers and citizens, we can improve safety in our neighborhoods. On a daily basis, Officers DeJesus, Novak, and Turner work collaboratively with citizens, businesses, schools, and numerous community groups to solve problems. The officers are a visible presence throughout the First District, often spending their own time and money to make a difference. The CEOs will continue to protect and SERVE in 2019!” 

– Daniel M. Fay, First District Commander

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“Kerry, Juan and Lyniece are three of the most engaged Police Officers I have ever worked with. Their engagement and commitment with our seniors, youth, and all residents should be the standard for all of Community Policing. We are very lucky to have them in the First District.”

– Brian Kazy, Ward 16 Councilman

It is because of their dedication to the First District community and the Community Policing concept that the Cleveland Police Foundation is proud to name Officers Kerry Novak-Adams, Lyniece Turner, and Juan DeJesus as Police Officers of the Month for January 2019.