(LISTEN): More than 30 JCPD staff members honored for bravery and service at awards banquet

About 425 people packed the Jefferson City event center for Thursday night’s third annual Jefferson City Police Foundation awards banquet and police officer’s ball.

JCPD Sergeant Jon Kempker and Officers Dawson Payne and Daniel Ervine were presented with the medal of honor, while ten officers earned the meritorious service award. The ten officers are William Warfel, Charlie St. Onge, Cody Sanning, Dalton Brauch, Elisa McMahon, Dakota Brewer, David Mays, Ashley Robbins, Mark Goodson and Mitchel Terrance. Jefferson City police chief Eric Wilde tells 939 the Eagle that he’s grateful for all of the elected officials and citizens who attended, as well as numerous corporate sponsors:

“These are business owners in the Jefferson City area that are supporting this event. Every table on the (center’s) first floor tonight was purchased by a business and they wanted to be here and the tables were all full. They want to come out and honor their officers just as much as we want to present them the awards that they deserve,” Chief Wilde says.

Meantime, 24 veteran Jefferson City police officers, detectives, captains, sergeants, lieutenants and communication supervisors were honored at the banquet for 20 years of service. Chief Wilde tells 939 the Eagle that it’s important to recognize staff members for their longevity.

“Because recruiting is a big part of getting a strong workforce but so is retention. You’ve got to keep people around, especially in law enforcement. That experience just doesn’t develop overnight. The knowledge of who you’re dealing with and how to handle calls,” says Wilde.

Chief Wilde says having those officers makes the department better, adding that they can and do pass their knowledge on to the younger officers. The 24 Jefferson City police officers, detectives, captains, sergeants, lieutenants and communication supervisors honored for 20 years of service are:

** Detective Jason Ambler

** Captain Robert Clark

** Sergeant Steve Dappen

** Sergeant Curtis Finke

** Officer Chris Gosche

** Officer Josh Hagemeyer

** Officer Ross Hartley

** Captain Deric Heislen

** Sergeant Andrew Lenart

** Officer David Mays

** Captain Patrick McCutchen

** Sergeant Jason Miles

** Sergeant Michael Ottolini

** Sergeant Jason Payne

** Officer Bill Plassmeyer

** Sergeant Douglas Ruediger

** Communications supervisor Angie Stiefermann

** Lieutenant Jeffrey Stiefermann

** Lieutenant Chad Stieferman

** Officer Lynn Wansing

** Lieutenant Steve Weaver

** Lieutenant David Williams