2013 Law Enforcement Awards
Citizen's Award of Merit
Kenneth Ardner
Mary Roan
Daniel Shade
On January 27, 2014, James Lewin collapsed near his car outside of the Dollar Tree store at 965 Loucks Road in York City. Two men entered the store to seek assistance for the man. Kenneth Ardner, a customer in the store, and Mary Roan, assistant store manager, exited the store to investigate. Ardner found Lewin on the ground and after assessing his condition initiated CPR. Roan removed her coat and placed it on Lewin, who was turning blue in color. Daniel Shade observed the incident from his car in the parking lot, and brought a blanket from his car. The three rescuers switched off performing CPR until the arrival of White Rose Ambulance and City Police. Lewin was transported to York Hospital where he received additional care in order to survive. These three citizens saved Lewin's life.
Nominated by Chief Wes Kahley, York City Police Department
2013 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
Dennis Brillhart
Patrol Officer
Southwestern Regional Police Department
Officer Brillhart is an 18-year veteran of the Southwestern Regional Police Department and its predecessor agency, the North Codorus Township Police Department. He is assigned as a patrol officer. Brillhart previously worked for the Littlestown Police Department.
Brillhart was born in Hanover, and graduated from Hanover High School. He is in a committed relationship with Christal, and has six children.
Brillhart is the recipient of multiple department commendations, a lifesaving award and is the department's officer of the year.
Brillhart is a Little League baseball coach and a Cub Scout volunteer.
Officer Brillhart has always put forth an outstanding effort for the department and the communities it serves. In a twelve hour shift, he may well have traveled several hundred miles.
Brillhart led the department in self-initiated activity in 2013. He tirelessly patrols and finds issues and problems that others would not be aware of. He is alo the top in the department for arrests and traffic contacts, with 438 traffic contacts in 2013 alone.
On Sunday January 27, 2013, Brillhart was on patrol in North Codorus Township when he spotted a faint light in a field by a small stream. When the light did not move, Brillhart entered the field on foot to investigate. The temperature was below freezing, and it had begun to snow. Brillhart observed items scattered in the field, including a child car seat.
Brillhart walked about 150 feet to discover the light was a vehicle headlight. The vehicle was nose down in the stream, and only that single headlight was illuminated. The light was shining into the stream, and what Brillhart had seen was a dim reflection from the ice on the stream. Brillhart called out to see if anyone was in the vehicle. Getting no response, he returned to the roadway, crossed the bridge and returned to the vehicle from the opposite side of the stream and again called out.
Hearing a faint rustling, Brillhart returned to the other side of the stream, where he located the 28 year-old driver of the vehicle lying against a tree of the steep bank of the stream, unconscious and bleeding from the head. Most of the victim's clothing had been torn from his body when he was ejected from the vehicle. Brillhart awaited Fire and EMS units, and located the victim's cell phone and was able to contact the victim's family.
It was later determined that the victim had been exposed to the elements for about 45 minutes after being ejected from his vehicle. It is easy to conclude that if not for the instincts of Brillhart to investigate the light, the victim may not have survived the ordeal.
Nominated by Chief Gregory M. Bean
2013 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Nominee
Llewellyn Kauffman
Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer
Pennsylvania Game Commission
Deputy Kauffman is a 30-year veteran of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. He is currently assigned to southeast York County.
Kauffman was born in Laurel, Pennsylvania and is a graduate of Red Lion Area High School. Deputy Kauffman served in the United States Army, and actively served in Vietnam. Deputy Kauffman is married with two children.
Kauffman puts forth an extreme amount of dedication to the Game Commission as a Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer, working over 650 hours in 2013, even though budgets permitted pay for only half of that time. In addition, Kauffman logged almost 6,000 miles on his personal vehicle.
Kauffman instructed eight Hunter Trapper Education classes in 2013. He and another Deputy took it upon themselves to conduct a successful Fur Taking course to add more training in the district and the county.
Kauffman is always willing to help out. He is more than just a team player. He has "seen it all" in his almost 30 years as a deputy, but does not allow some of the rougher times to dim his spirit. As a seasoned trapper and outdoorsman, he continues to instill the spirit in the residents of the county, helping out at Youth Field Days, Veterans Sporting Clay Shoot and any other special event, be it a street fair or school function.
When it comes to law enforcement, Kauffman is outstanding. He has a firm knowledge of the Game and Wildlife Code. Law enforcement to Kauffman doesn't always mean a citation, he makes sure the violator understands what they should or shouldn't have done.
Kauffman lives and breathes the life of a Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer.
Nominated by Wildlife Conservation Officer Shawn A. Musser
2013 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Nominee
Tiffany Vogel
Police Officer
York City Police Department
Officer Vogel is a 6-year veteran of the York City Police Department. She is assigned to the Neighborhood Policing Unit, and previously served as a patrol officer.
Vogel is single. She previously served in the United States Marine Corps, and currently serves in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Vogel is the recipient of multiple department commendations.
Officer Vogel is assigned to the Parkway Neighborhood Enforcement Unit where her primary assignment is the neighborhoods in and around the Parkway public housing complex. Her duties include street level drug investigations, quality of life issues, civil enforcement and being a liaison with the York Housing Authority staff. When not patrolling the Parkway neighborhood, Vogel monitors and patrols other neighborhoods in the City where the unit operates.
Vogel has been requested numerous times by the Mayor's office to mentor young women who want to hear from a woman in a leadership role in the police department. Vogel has taken on the responsibility to give a personal safety course to York College nursing students who have repeatedly requested her. She also is a member of the York City Police Honor Guard.
Vogel excels at DUI enforcement, and was able to make 22 DUI arrests in 2013. She has also conducted a DUI presentation for the Criminal Justice section of the York Technical Institute.
Vogel works in a unit, and was involved in 12 felony arrests, 47 misdemeanor arrests, served 124 warrants, issued 105 traffic citations and 58 non-traffic citations. The Neighborhood unit has seized over 30 guns, 196 grams of cocaine, 1012 grams of marijuana, 44 grams of heroin and $10,000 in cash.
It becomes very evident that Officer Vogel was an exceptional asset to the York City Police Department in 2013.
Nominated by Chief Wes Kahley
