Sheriff's office, police department dole out awards
JANESVILLE — When Rock County Sheriff's Deputy Joshua Molter responded to a car accident, he found a person who had been ejected from the vehicle.
The Aug. 21 crash along Highway 213 south of Orfordville left the driver unresponsive and not breathing.
Molter gave the driver CPR until paramedics arrived. The driver was flown to Rockford Memorial Hospital and survived.
Molter was awarded Wednesday with the Certificate of Lifesaving Award during the Rock County Sheriff's Office annual awards ceremony. Molter also was named Deputy of the Year for being a field training officer and is slotted to be an evidence technician.
The Janesville Police Department held its awards ceremony last week, honoring the Police Officer of the Year and Civilian Employee of the Year.
The sheriff's office named Erin Wilson its Correctional Officer of the Year. Her leadership, knowledge and experience have allowed her to become a member of the hostage negotiation team and a jail training officer. She also has been helping with new inmate property-management procedures.
Diane Michaelis was named Civilian Employee of the Year for her work managing budgets. She has improved the office's accounting practices and grant management. She also creates budgetary documents and often represents the sheriff's office at meetings.
The police department selected officer Glen Hageman as its Police Officer of the Year. Hageman is the K-9 officer and has been credited with several drug arrests and seizures. He also has given many presentations on the K-9 unit and trains with the dog, Karo.
Julie L. Klusmeyer was awarded Civilian Employee of the Year. Nominations indicated she is dependable and has a positive attitude, that she is very productive and has made clerical jobs more efficient.
Rock County Sheriff's Office awards
-- Capt. Todd Christiansen, Certificate of Sheriff's Award, for his work commanding the detective bureau and SWAT Team. The SWAT Team received the 2010 State of Wisconsin Association of SWAT Personnel's Team of the Year Award. The detective bureau solved burglary cases and investigated a report of a body found that led to a homicide arrest.
-- Capt. Russ Steeber, Certificate of Sheriff's Award, for overseeing the awards system, selecting medals and coordinating the ceremony. Steeber's dedication has led to a professional ceremony.
-- Sgt. Aaron Burdick, Sheriff F. Joseph Black Leadership Award, for his leadership and dedication to the sheriff's office and community. Burdick helped create the jail's emergency response team. He also oversees the identification bureau and special investigations unit.
-- Cmdr. Troy Knudson, Community Service Award, for being on the Parkview School Board. He also is active in the Footville Church of Christ and teaches the high school youth group.
-- Clerk Chris Saxe, Certificate of Commendation, for overseeing inmate accounts. Saxe also has helped with the transition to a new inmate commissary vendor.
-- Deputy Andrew Reed, Lifesaving Award, for saving a man who was choking and not breathing. He gave the man CPR until paramedics arrived.
-- Correctional officer Jill Twitty, Lifesaving Award, for saving an inmate after an attempted suicide. Twitty found the inmate and brought her to the booking room for an evaluation.
-- Correctional officer Niles Boeche, Lifesaving Award, for helping an inmate having a seizure and possibly not breathing. Boeche treated the inmate.
-- Correctional officers James Schuler, Eric Cisneros, Robert Larson, Kris Hoscheit and Cedrick Wilson were given the Lifesaving Award for rescuing an inmate after an attempted suicide.
-- Lamar Advertising, Certificate of Citizen Award, for using the company's electronic billboards to help law enforcement. The company displays information about wanted criminals, missing persons and severe weather on its billboards.
-- The first shift patrol division, Unit Citation, for working together to arrest a robbery suspect after a chase.
-- The detective bureau, special investigations unit and bureau of identification was awarded a Unit Citation for an investigation into burglaries of homes and businesses. The investigation led to arrests in 32 burglaries.
-- The detective bureau, bureau of identification and law enforcement services first shift patrol was awarded a Unit Citation for an investigation into a body found. The investigation led to the homicide arrest of a Racine County man.
-- The SWAT Team, Unit Citation, for receiving the SWAT Team of the Year Award. The team was able to get a suspect to surrender after eight hours.
Janesville Police Department awards
-- Deputy Chief Dan Davis, Award of Excellence, for doing the work of two deputy chiefs while another deputy chief position was vacant for six months. Davis also was vital to the arrest of a suspect in a homicide investigation.
-- Officer Todd Schumann, Meritorious Service Citation, for his help in trying to save a drowning child. He dove into the water and continued searching for the child until the Janesville Fire Department arrived.
-- Officer Todd Bailey, Problem Oriented Policing Award, for fighting the increasing number of scrap-metal thefts. Bailey registered the department with a website that allows law enforcement to notify scrap metal dealers of recent thefts.
-- Officer Rodney Hirsch, Problem Oriented Policing Award, for his work on the Domestic Violence Intervention Team and for coordinating the chronic nuisance project. He also was one of the top officers on his shift.
-- Cy F. Badertscher, Citizen Service Award, for chasing and catching a burglar in his neighborhood. Badertscher was able to identify the burglar as a former Craig High School student. The burglar was arrested.
-- Allan T. Stark and Sheryl A. Stark, Citizen Service Award, for taking action when they saw a woman robbed of her purse. They followed the suspects to their vehicle and blocked them in, leading to arrests.
-- Kay L. Ball, Citizen Service Award, for improving the Village Green apartment complex. The complex used to have drug activity and other crimes. Ball has helped make the building clean and crime free.
-- Davis Citgo, Business Service Award, for providing tow service at traffic crashes. The business helps clear traffic scenes.
Apr 16, 2011 at 11:46 a.m.
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I like the non synchronized parade walk while brandishing firearms inside a building. I'm guessing the fancy uniforms were free and not tax dollars in the trash. Anyone hear who got the cleanest white gloves award? Great job some of you on doing your job. Congrats!
Apr 16, 2011 at 8:19 a.m.
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Boombah and Officerfriendly1, I am going to clarify something here. The people like Josh Molter are the REAL HERO's that deserve the award. I went to the Academy with Deputy Molder, however russ steeber and barb tillman are nothing but pencil pusher jokes with a badge. Read the paper and see what russ steeber is doing... he claims to be working for the county but crying and having City Council meetings during his duty hours to complain about GOV Walker when his lazy self should be working on the county roads and checking on deputies. I am not impressed with 60% of the Rock County Deputies how the cover ups are plenty and then the sheriff and his top 3 hide behind the law. Hold them accountable for wrongful arrests, violations of the laws, and wasteful spending then and only then can anyone judge a taxpayer and their opinion. That is if you don't find anything wrong with the way the sheriff department is conducting their job.
But this is taking away from the REAL AWARD winners, Good Job!! Just don't feel that tax payers money should go to stroke steeber's ego and the promote the sheriff's personal agenda to get reelected.
Apr 15, 2011 at 8:01 p.m.
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Kudos to the recipients!
I have a REAL problem with who they use for wrecker service though. "Careful" isn't in their vocabulary.
Apr 15, 2011 at 5:42 p.m.
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I bet the award session didn't cost tax payers anymore than normal. Don't those in charge giving out the awards work that time of day anyways? I bet those getting the awards are there because they want the awards and probably aren't paid to be there. So if you want to be picky, I bet it cost and extra ten bucks in juice and cups. But hey, lets bash those men and women who EARNED their awards for working hard and saving lives.
Apr 15, 2011 at 5 p.m.
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officerfriendly: i would imagine they will continue to have their award ceremonies no matter what the cost. Maybe someone is bitter? I believe I may have called you on this one in the past. What dept do you work for?
Apr 15, 2011 at 4:52 p.m.
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All you nay-sayers should be ashamed of yourself. It doesn't matter what line of work you are in, people make mistakes and they mis-judge sometimes. These officers put their life on the line EVERYDAY for people that love to bash them. I am from a family of law enforcement officers and I want you to know I have the highest regard for all of you that serve the people. I hope you never make a mistake, but when you deal with some people they are only going to find fault. You are my family, you have my respect, and shame on those that live to dish on people that are trying to do the best to keep the peace. I will say an extra prayer for you working in law enforcement, and for these people that only have bad thoughts for you. They aren't perfect either... Congratulations to the officers that received their service award, don't let anyone make you feel bad for receiving it.
Apr 15, 2011 at 3:49 p.m.
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Boomah, I meant no disrespect to the Deputies involved that day. I know all of them. They did only what they were allowed to do. The problem was they were never given the order to stop the pursuit from the command staff. That was a HUGE mistake. They, the command staff, allowed a murderer to continue on his way and return to the crime scene. How many people were endangered that day because of the lack of proper command? Way too many.
The command staff knew they had screwed up. A week later there was a man being chased, for much less then murder down the interstate from Dane County. When that man crossed through the median of I-90 the command staff then gave the proper order to stop it any way they could.
If law enforcement is going to chase someone, then are required to have a plan, not just all drive behind the suspect. The command staff had no plan that day but none of us were surprised.
Let me repeat myself. I meant no disrespect to the Deputies involved. All of them that day are fine men and wanted so badly to do the right thing, but were never allowed to. Some of them even felt they did not deserve any award for doing what they did that day.
Apr 15, 2011 at 2:02 p.m.
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oftern misunderstood: watered down? when was the last time you chased someone in a pursuit after he just murdered someone? Have you ever seen the pursuit video from the chase? I would assume not after reading your comment.
Earnednotgiven: Are you speaking from experience or something you heard. My guess is you would want an unarmed civilian going into peoples houses at all times of the day and night to check equipment. So what happens when something bad happens to this person? Let's think a outside the box a little more shall we. Maybe have a litte more information?
Lets remember Police Officers everywhere are putting their lives on the line. Police Officers are dying this year at a record rate and all you want to do is find a way to say they dont deserve the awards they are given.
Apr 15, 2011 at 12:15 p.m.
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Capt russ steeber, I have to say that you are a JOKE!!! You and the current sherriff couldn't do anything together without the REAL POLICE of JPD and a select few of the DEPUTIES in ROCK COUNTY!! I hope that when the sherriff is voted out then barb tillman and russ steeber HAVE TO GO!!!! They are a JOKE!!! Why do you have deputies monitoring the GPS system? That can't be a civilian job? It takes a LAZY DEPUTY off the streets and puts them behind a desk?? SAVE THE COUNTY SOME MONEY!!! CUT THE DEAD WEIGHT ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am not going to capitilize the names of individuals that don't deserved it!!!
Apr 15, 2011 at 12:09 p.m.
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Deputy Joshua Molter the life you saved was that of My Son Josh. I can not thank you enough for what you have given back to My Family and I. Josh now has a baby Daughter of his own and without you he would have never seen her. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Apr 15, 2011 at 9:59 a.m.
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Sorry for the incorrect information, Steeber’s wife retired a few months back.
Apr 15, 2011 at 9:46 a.m.
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Capt. Steeber makes $89,000.00 a year for this? (BTW his wife [and she was the one in charge during the blizzard debacle a few years ago] makes nearly this amount from the state patrol, no wonder he is all about the things he is while on the city council).
As to the comment on him answering calls, that’s a joke too, he’s not answered a call for many many years
This whole awards thing has been, as the one wrote, so watered down that it does a dis-service to those persons that truly earned it. The watering down started a few years ago when Deputies chased a murderer for miles without stopping him only to have Janesville P.D. ram him. The Deputies then received a valor award for that.
Come on Sheriff Bob, reserve the award(s) for those that truly earned and deserve it. The Deputy and Correctional Officer of the year award are in order but some of the rest?
Apr 15, 2011 at 9:46 a.m.
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unclesmoothie, it's nothing new. I worked for Marty's Texaco driving his tow trucks 30 years ago. It was very difficult to get on "the call list" way back then.
Apr 15, 2011 at 9:04 a.m.
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Isn't Davis Citgo awarded enough by being the exclusive wrecker company for the city and county? A few years back I broke down on HWY 14 East and a sheriffs deputy had a fit because I called a friend and not Davis. The Good Ol' Boy Network at it's very best.
Apr 15, 2011 at 8:46 a.m.
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Just a big show so Sheriff Bob can wear his fancy suit in public. What a waste of money.
Apr 14, 2011 at 9:09 p.m.
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Capt Steeber and all the those honored are deserving, good and honorable servants. Those who doubt it should take up the badge, put on the gun and answer the calls as Captain Steeber and all those men and women do each day.
Apr 14, 2011 at 8:13 p.m.
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"Capt. Russ Steeber, Certificate of Sheriff's Award, for overseeing the awards system, selecting medals and coordinating the ceremony. Steeber's dedication has led to a professional ceremony."
Ya know it's watered down when they even have an award for the awarder.
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