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.  

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 in congratulating the below individuals, nominated by their peers for embodying those very principles and for having a standout year of service in 2021. 

Officer of the Year

Officer Douglas Wendt’s exceptional performance and dedicated service for nearly 29 years has made him a clear selection to be this year’s Officer of the Year. Officer Wendt worked the night shift for more than 26 years, with 23 of those years serving as a crime scene technician. As a full-time crime scene tech, Officer Wendt set the standard for teamwork, attention to detail, and productivity.

Officer Wendt has been noted on multiple occasions by his peers and fellow crime scene technicians as a team player, frequently taking on additional shifts and becoming the Department’s authority on new technologies to assist in investigations.

Employee of the Year

Kyle Hayden serves as a Police Services Representative with the Champaign Police Department. He displays a high level of professionalism in all aspects of his job, representing the Police Department in a positive manner. He maintains positive working relationships with his peers, officers, other City employees, other departments, and the community. Kyle provides a high level of customer service by responding to questions and requests in a consistent and honest manner.

Kyle frequently strives to improve his knowledge and performance by taking on duties outside of his daily duties. Kyle volunteered to assist the Police Services Unit in taking Live Scan Prints when needed. He also volunteers to perform additional duties for the Vehicle Division by keeping track of vehicles cited for violating the Abandoned/Inoperable Parking Ordinance, which includes, sending out the Abandoned/Inoperable notification letters to the registered owners of those cited vehicles.

Kyle’s professionalism, abilities, and willingness to take on additional duties, reflects his continual self-development. He continues to seek new challenges to improve and grow in his current position and be a positive and productive member of our team.

Lifesaving Award

The Life Saving award is presented to officers who have taken significant steps to mitigate a potentially life-threatening event.

Officer Jeff Thomas is commended for his lifesaving actions on December 20, 2021, as he responded to an unknown problem at 201 E. Armory Ave. Once on scene, Officer Thomas encountered two unresponsive patients who had been electrocuted while maneuvering a steel ladder near a power line. Officer Thomas assessed the scene and immediately took charge. He performed CPR on one of the patients until medical personnel arrived. Both patients were transported to Carle Hospital. The initial prognosis for both patients was not good due to the high voltage of the power line. Miraculously, both patients made full recoveries in large part due to the quick action of bystanders and Officer Thomas. Medical personnel on scene later commended Officer Thomas for his quick action and willingness to perform CPR. Officer Thomas should be commended for helping save a human life.

Officer Anderson Agudelo

Officer Jordan Wooten

Officer Anderson Agudelo and Officer Jordan Wooten are commended for their lifesaving actions on Friday, December 17, 2021, as he responded to a parking lot located the in 1700 block of West Springfield Avenue for a report of a shooting. Officers Jordan Wooten and Anderson Agudelo were among the first officers to arrive on scene. Once there, they discovered a 16-year-old female had been shot in both the right thigh and left foot.

Officers Agudelo and Wooten immediately began lifesaving efforts. Officer Wooten applied a tourniquet to the juvenile’s right leg to stop the bleeding. Once applied, Officers Wooten and Agudelo checked the juvenile for further injuries, discovering the wound to her left foot. Officer Agudelo then applied a second tourniquet to her left leg.

Officers Wooten and Agudelo both took immediate action to mitigate potentially life-threatening gunshot wounds suffered by this juvenile. The wound to her right leg was later found to have shattered her femur and could have led to significant blood loss had the officers not intervened.

Officers Agudelo and Wooten deserve recognition for their swift actions to aid a young woman in a potentially life-threatening event.

Commendation Awards

 Distinguished Leadership Award

Sgt. Dennis Baltzell

Sgt. John Lieb

Medal of Valor

Officer Jonathan Kristensen

Officer Phil McDonald