Leader Staff
Leader Photo by Tim Ryan Winners of the 2014 Officer of the Year Awards sponsored by the Optimist Club are, from left, Jody Johnson, Shawano Police Department school liaison officer, and Keith Sorlie, Shawano County Sheriff’s Department detective. Evidence storage technician Ann Holcomb, right, accepted the award on behalf of Detective Wade Wudtke. The officers were honored at a ceremony Thursday at the American Legion Post 117 clubhouse.
A Shawano police officer and two Shawano County sheriff’s detectives were the recipients Thursday of the Optimist Club’s annual Officer of the Year Award.
Shawano School Liaison Officer Jody Johnson and sheriff’s detectives Keith Sorlie and Wade Wudtke were honored with plaques at the ceremony held at the American Legion Post 117 clubhouse.
“She’s really a damn great school resource officer that we have working for the community of Shawano and the school district,” Chief Mark Kohl said as he introduced Johnson. “I’m so proud of her efforts. She’s got the tenacious attitude to do what’s right for the children, and she makes our agency look good, as well.”
Johnson started at the Shawano Police Department as a dispatcher 30 years ago, then went on to work for the Department of Natural Resources before being hired back at the Police Department, where she has been for nearly 20 years.
“Thank you for this award,” Johnson said. “Thank you for recognizing law enforcement. We all do our best. This award is not just for me. We have a lot of great officers at the department.”
Sheriff Randy Wright said he asked and was given permission to nominate two officers from the department this year.
“The two that I’m going to mention are definitely a team,” he said. “They’re the people that are going around right now giving a lot of their time and effort to do the drug presentations throughout the county.”
Wudtke was not present for the ceremony because he was coaching his softball team, Wright said.
Evidence storage technician Ann Holcomb accepted the award on Wudtke’s behalf. She read a letter from Wudtke thanking the Optimist Club for the honor and praising Sorlie, whom he called his partner and mentor.
“He has been an inspiration to me and many others in and out of law enforcement,” Wudtke wrote. “Keith is always willing to lend his hand in anyone’s time of need, both an and off duty. He has sacrificed his personal time to make sure the job is done correctly and to help others.”
A clearly emotionally moved Sorlie read a statement of his own praising the teamwork of the Sheriff’s Department.
“That includes deputies, dispatchers, corrections officers and all the staff. I would like to accept this award on their behalf,” he said.