Grosse Pointe Farms Honors Officers, Communications Director

Two public safety officers saved a woman's life in November 2011. Another officer helped connect a burglary suspect to a Macomb County stabbing that eventually turned fatal.

Public Safety Director Dan Jensen recognized these officers and several others Monday for helping solve cases and make arrests moments after crimes. The annual merit awards ceremony drew family and friends of the officers being recognized.

Each of the officers were presented with a physical award and congratulated by Jensen, Deputy Director John Hutchins, Farms Judge Matthew Rumora, Mayor Jim Farquhar and the city council.

Lt. Jack Patterson and Officer Antonino Trupiano were each given an award for life-saving measures they performed in November when they responded to a 911 call on Hillcrest. They found a woman unresponsive on the kitchen floor. She did not have any vital signs and the officers administered the automated external defibrillators. They brought back her heart beat, she was taken to St. John's Hospital and she survived.

Officer Roger Wierszewski received a commendation for connecting the suspect from a few burglaries in the Farms to a Macomb County fatal stabbing of an elderly woman, which happened the day before the burglaries. Wierszewski heard the news that the man was leading New Jersey and New York State Police on a high speed pursuit and looked up his picture in an offender tracking system. He recognized that the man was the person shown by Macomb County Sheriff's Department in what was at that point a critical stabbing. Wierszewski helped connect the chase with the Macomb County officers investigating the stabbing.

Officer Thomas Shimko received two citation awards. The first award stems from an investigation Shimko performed on two men walking in the city at 12:30 a.m. June 30. The men told Shimko they were going to visit their grandmother but then they could not explain where she lived and did not have an address. Shimko took both men to the police department because their stories did not make sense and during interviews with detectives, the men admitted to 14 recent thefts and three automobile thefts. His second award stems from an arrest he performed July 18 when he responded to a Grosse Pointe Woods police call about a burglary that just happened. He found the man who had broken into the house and it was discovered he was armed with a 4-inch knife and wanted on an outstanding warrant out of Detroit.

Detective John Walko received a citation award for returning stolen equipment in April 2011 after witnessing a man steal a leaf blower from the back of a landscaping truck near Mack Avenue and Fisher Road. He followed the man after he drove from the area but the man eventually drove out of the Grosse Pointes. A broadcast was put out and a short time later, Detroit police found the vehicle. Walko was able to retreive the leaf blower and return it to the landscaping company.

Director of Communications Paul Monarch received the director's merit award. Monarch has been with the department since 1997 and in his current job since 2001. He has assisted all of the Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods with radio, computer and other communications throughout his career. He oversaw the transition from analog radios to the 800 mHz system officers currently employ and he will oversee the transition later this year from the 800 mHz to the new radios under Michigan's Public Safety Communications System.