Arlington Heights Officer Named 2012 Crime Stopper of the Year

Russell Mandel was the kind of police rookie who wanted to change the world.

“You come to a realization over time that you won’t change the world, but you may make a difference in someone’s life,” said Mandel, an Arlington Heights Police detective.

Mandel’s philosophy has helped him crack a drug trafficking organization and a victim of stalking find peace. He is being recognized for his work and will receive the 2012 Crime Stopper of the Year Award from the Arlington Heights Police department and the Arlington Heights Crime Stoppers.

This award is presented each year to a selected member of the Arlington Heights Police Department who has made a recognizable contribution to the community’s crime fighting efforts through a significant arrest or the suppression of criminal activity.

Mandel’s fellow officers nominated him for the award, citing a number of cases he handled last year. In one case, he and his partner initiated an investigation into a drug trafficking organization that was operating from Arlington Heights to the Canadian border, Commander Miguel Hernandez said.

His work on the case helped the department arrest three people, confiscate $300,000 in cash and $16,000 in assets, including three high-end vehicles, Hernandez said.

“Everyone who knows him knows he’s very tenacious,” the commander said. “He is an extremely hard worker and has a great work ethic and will stay on a case until he resolves it.”

Drug Trafficking Bust

The drug trafficking case started with Mandel and his partner got some information from a low level dealer about the organization, which was trafficking several hundred pounds of marijuana from Canada into the village for an operation providing suppliers throughout the Northwest suburbs, Mandel said.

Mandel worked the investigation for more than a year, picking up low-level dealers who would provide information - working his way up the organization. He and his partner spent numerous hours on the street doing all kinds of surveillance - video and telephone - and arranging drug sales, he said.

“There were many frustrating days and nights,” said Mandel, 38, who been a detective for 10 years. “You get some success here and there. We got seizures along the way where we seized large amounts of money. You get a good surveillance day where you can identity people. It keeps you going,”

The investigation culminated a few months ago with the a number of arrests.

Giving A Victim Some Peace

The case was listed as a domestic that included harassing and stalking by a man who allegedly had done the same thing to another woman. Mandel knew the suspect and the previous case.

It involved a suspected arson, burglary and harassment. Mandel worked the case from all angles, subpoenaing cell phone records and other documents.

There was not enough evidence to charge the man with arson or burglary, but through Mandel’s work-the suspect was charged with electronic harassment. The man was convicted and placed on electronic monitoring for a year. He is prevented from contacting the victim.

The man’s sentence will be up in the summer and while the victim worries, she has been able to find some peace, Mandel said.

“It’s a good feeling to know I was able to give her some peace,” Mandel said. “I wish I could right all the wrongs that happened, but it’s nice to see she has some relief from the situation.”

“He helped return that woman’s life back to normal,” Hernandez said.

Crime Stopper of the Year

Mandel became an Arlington Heights police officer in November 2000. He transferred to the detective unit in 2003 where he has conducted many types of criminal investigations from drugs to gangs to vice crimes, Hernandez said.

“It’s nice he’s getting recognized for the quality of his work,” the commander said. “He’s really a nice guy on top of it.”

Mandel has been nominated several times in the past, so he was surprised to win it. Arlington Police will present him with the award at a May 16 ceremony. The award includes a $500 prize.

While it is sometimes hard to leave the job behind at the end of the day, Mandel still enjoys being a detective and hopes to continue his work in the unit. He finds being a detective is a challenge for him to figure out the how the crime was committed, who did it, and why.

“When you get a case that can be worked and lead to a good resolution, that to me is what is exciting about being a detective and doing investigative work,” Mandel said.