This month’s Police Officers of the Month are Jonnatan Sanchez and Wanda Wright, who have truly earned this recognition and are seen as heroes by many. Last July, while working in the warehouse district, they heard gunfire near West 6th Street and immediately went to investigate. Unable to find the suspect, they turned their attention to rendering first aid to some of the nine people injured outside a bar on West 6th Street.
Among the injured was a woman who needed urgent help. Officer Sanchez used a belt borrowed from a bystander to apply a tourniquet to her leg, a quick-thinking action that likely saved her life. Reflecting on the night, Officer Sanchez shared, “It’s something that comes from within me already, I’ve been wanting to be a police officer since I was a little kid. My grandfather was a firefighter and he instilled in me the need to help others as much as you can.” Officer Wright also commented on their improvisation during the crisis, saying, “Sometimes we don’t have what we need, so we improvise and we do what we have to do.”
Their heroic actions and dedication to caring for others are why the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name Officer Jonnatan Sanchez and Officer Wanda Wright our Police Officers of the Month for February 2024.
– Bob Guttu, Cleveland Police Foundation
Nominated by CPD Captain Tim Maffo-Judd
2024 POMs 2023 POMs 2022 POMs 2021 POMs 2020 POMs 2019 POMs 2018 POMs 2017 POMs 2016 POMs
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.