Mokena Officers Earn Lifesaving, Distinguished Duty Awards

MOKENA, IL — Several officers at the Mokena Police Department were recently presented with lifesaving awards and awards for distinguished and exceptional duty.

Officers who were presented with awards included: detective Darin McVicker, who earned a distinguished duty award; detective Stephen Chlebek, who was awarded a distinguished duty award and an exceptional duty award; officers James Payne and Gregory Selin, who earned lifesaving awards; officer Robert Henschel, who earned a distinguished duty award; and officers Peter Stanglewicz, Lawrence McKenna, Michael Moscato and Caitlin Winn, who earned exceptional duty awards.

McVicker earned a distinguished duty award, and Chlebek was awarded an exceptional duty award, for their work on a graffiti case, Police Chief John Keating told Patch.

The case involved the spraying of hateful graffiti at a Mokena park, and the detectives were able to locate video and material evidence and charge two juveniles in the incident.

"The detectives went above and beyond," Keating said, adding that their work on the case brought it to a quick conclusion.

Officers Payne and Selin earned lifesaving awards for saving the life of a heroin overdose victim, Keating said. This is Selin's third lifesaving award, and Payne's second.

In March, the two officers arrived at a scene where there was an unconscious man in a parked vehicle. The man was not breathing and had no pulse, Keating said.

Selin administered a dose of NARCAN, and the man was still unresponsive. Payne gave a second dose, and the man began breathing and regained consciousness, Keating said.

The fire district transported the man to the hospital, and he lived.

"It was outstanding work," Keating said. "These situations can be very stressful on the officers. They handled it with calm and nothing but professional policework."

Officer Henschel was awarded a distinguished duty award for the arrest of two men who were wanted for armed robbery cases in Chicago, Keating said.

In April, Henschel was on a routine patrol when he saw two suspicious cars on Henry Drive north of 191st Street, Keating said. Henschel found that both of the drivers had suspended licenses, and they were arrested.

During a search of the cars, three pellet guns, designed in a handgun style, were found, as well as ID and credits for other people, Keating said.

Police learned that the credit cards and ID were taken from victims in two separate armed robberies in Chicago, and Henschel's work led to the arrest of the two men and was vital to Chicago Police Department's investigation, Keating said.

Several officers were awarded distinguished and exceptional duty awards for their work on a homicide case with the Ottawa Police Department.

Detectives McVicker and Chlebek were awarded a distinguished duty award, and officers Stanglewicz, McKenna, Moscato and Wynn were awarded an exceptional duty award.

"This was a team effort," Keating said.

The Mokena Police Department was contacted by the Ottawa Police Department in April about a person at a residence in Mokena who was believed to have murdered someone in Ottawa, Keating said.

Mokena officers took the person into custody and were able to secure the secondary crime scene in Mokena, Keating said. Officers were also able to secure evidence which helped in the investigation.

"This was clearly an outstanding exhibition of professional policework and team effort working with multiple jurisdictions to bring this case to a successful prosecution stage," Keating said.

All officers were recognized at a department meeting and at Monday's Village Board meeting.