Employee Recognition

The Champaign Police Department’s Employee Awards Ceremony is held annually to help highlight staff accomplishments over the previous calendar year and to thank each and every one of them for their positive commitment to our City. This year, the Champaign Police Employee Awards Ceremony was held on May 15, 2024.

We thank our officers and staff for their tireless efforts to advance CPD’s mission “to serve our public by the unwavering protection of all citizens, through unconditional respect and collaborative efforts with our community.” Our continued success is defined by the collection of our daily standards to always perform at our greatest, and always in pledge to our dedication of service through trust, integrity and respect.

Please join us in congratulating the below individuals, nominated by their peers for embodying those very principles and for having a standout year of service in 2023. 

Officer of the Year

Officer Maxwell Villanti has proven to be a reliable, positive, and community-driven officer who excels in his performance, initiative, and commitment to professionalism and public safety. His efforts to consistently serve all citizens through unconditional respect are commendable and his proactive policing activities are exceptional having made 270 traffic stops, 12 DUI arrests, and recovered 19 illegally possessed firearms in one year. Officer Villanti continually distinguished himself as a team player by assisting with calls for service and taking reports to lighten the load on his fellow Officers. Many people – both inside and outside the Department – benefit from Officer Villanti’s hard work and service to this community.

In recognition of his dedicated performance of duty, distinguished demeanor, and diligent efforts of self-improvement, he represents the outstanding qualities which are critical to the department’s mission and is hereby recognized as the 2023 Officer of the Year.

Employee of the Year

Evidence Technician Mark Strzesak is a reliable, positive, and hardworking staff member who excels in his job, initiative, and commitment to professionalism. He was instrumental in the implementation of new technologies at the Department such as AXON, Evidence.com, and Tyler evidence management. His efforts to consistently provide quality support and excellent customer service both inside and outside the Department is commendable and epitomizes the Department’s guiding principles of “service through trust, integrity and respect.”

In recognition of your dedicated performance of duty, distinguished demeanor, and diligent efforts of self-improvement, you represent the outstanding qualities which are critical to the department’s mission and are hereby recognized as the 2023 Employee of the Year.

Volunteer of the Year

It takes a professional staff to keep the Champaign Police Department running. Additionally, it takes the effort of a dedicated handful of volunteers, who are willing to assist CPD staff, offering their skills to the department in exchange for education and the opportunity to do some good.

Erin Kristovich has been volunteering in the CPD Investigations Division since 2019. She assists with sorting and purging files dating back to the 1980s. She approaches her volunteer role at CPD with a positive attitude and willingly dedicates her time. Her attention to detail is impeccable and her dedication to this Department is commendable.

Lifesaving Award

The Lifesaving Award is presented to officers who have taken significant steps to mitigate a potentially life-threatening event. This award is intended to honor those actions which directly result in a person being saved. This year, we honor five officers for their efforts in saving three lives.

Sergeant David Monahan

On March 28, 2023, Sgt. Monahan responded to a suicidal subject who had climbed over the interstate fencing and precariously perched ready to jump into the heavy traffic below. Although at times the situation looked hopeless, the Sergeant spent considerable time speaking with the subject and ultimately convinced him to return to safety to receive the professional help he needed.

Officers Douglas Bluhm & Maxwell Villanti

On March 25, 2023, Officers Bluhm and Villanti were dispatched to assist with a man down and likely in cardiac arrest. On scene, Officer Bluhm administered a life-saving shock with the AED you dutifully carries on every shift and Officer Villanti administered CPR and chest compressions. Their quick decisive actions were critical to the positive outcome on this call.

Officers Anderson Agudelo & Dylan Harnsberger

On November 3, 2023, Officers Agudelo and Harnsberger responded to a check welfare call on an elderly resident experiencing a mental health crisis. On scene, they discovered a fire was blocking the main entrance to the residence and the second entrance was barricaded. The officers were able to open a window, guide the resident through the heavy smoke and out to safety. Their swift actions and ability to remain calm and clearheaded under pressure were crucial to saving this resident.

Distinguished Leadership Award

Leadership is an indispensable quality for any supervisor. On rare occasions, individuals display a level of leadership so exceptional it deserves acknowledgment and praise. Officer Ward is being recognized by his peers for outstanding leadership demonstrated as Team Leader of the Crisis Negotiation Unit.

Officer Dan Ward was nominated for the Chief’s Distinguished Leadership Award by his peers in the department. He has served on the Crisis Negotiation Unit since 2006 and was the team leader for more than a decade. He has been instrumental in the department’s Crisis Intervention Training program, and routinely meets with community groups to identify new resources for our officers to be aware of. Dan is a mentor and the best listener you will find in the department. He is a tremendous resource to his unit, the Patrol Division, and the Champaign Police Department. As such, we present him with this year’s Chief’s Distinguished Leadership Award.

Overall Fitness Award

The Champaign Police Department requires our officers take an annual physical fitness test. In 2023, we decided to do more than just run the test. Department policies were revised to provide a new uniform ribbon for the person in each gender and age group who is the top performer, exceeding all standards for each test.

Sgt. Kaitlin Fisher

Ofc. Blake Wehling

Sgt. Caleb Rice

Det. Amy Petrilli

Lt. Aaron Lack

DC Kevin Olmstead

K9 Officer Tina Trock

Commendation Awards

Special performance by a member of this Department requires special recognition. Although it is often difficult to distinguish performance that is “above and beyond” the call of duty from performance that is merely in keeping with professional police action, an effort to make such a distinction is made to highlight exceptional work through a formal Commendation Process.