The Munster Rotary Club recently honored the police officers, civilian employees, and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) who serve on the Munster Police Department during their annual luncheon on August 10th at the Centennial Park Clubhouse.
Munster Police Chief Steve Scheckel also presented special awards to several members of the police department during the luncheon.
Detective Mark Ashcraft (pictured) was presented with the police department’s Officer of the Year Award for 2020. He has served the Munster Police Department for 10 years and was honored for his outstanding work as a detective as well as for his service as a field training officer and drone pilot. The Officer of the Year Award is chosen each year by the members of the police department which makes it a special honor for the recipient.
Sergeant Thomas Kuhlenschmidt, who is a member of the Northwest Regional SWAT Team and also serves as an instructor and patrol shift commander for the department, received both the Meritorious Service Award and a Life Saving Award for outstanding service to our department as well as for his life-saving actions during a call for service during the past year.
Officer James Ghrist also was presented with the police department’s Meritorious Service Award. He has served as the department’s Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Officer for 17 years and also runs all of the police department’s community policing programs such as the National Night Out, Crime Watch, VIPS, and the Cops & Kids holiday shopping program.
Sergeant Michael Silsby received the Life Saving Award for his actions during a call for service during the past year. He is currently a patrol shift commander, supervises the Bike Patrol Unit, and also serves as a member of the police department’s Honor Guard.
Officer Daniel Balich also received the Life Saving Award for his actions during a call of service and currently serves as a member of the patrol division.
The Munster Police Department would like to thank the Munster Rotary Club for their continued support of our police department’s programs and for hosting this luncheon each year.