Police Commended for Quick Responses
Whether it's a fugitive, fire or hit-and-run driver, officers save the day

by Goldie Rapp - Bureau County Republican

published on July 20th, 2018

PRINCETON — On the city of Princeton’s website, listed under responsibilities of the Princeton Police Department, it states “officers are committed to keeping the city safe by responding to the needs of the community and engaging in proactive enforcement.”

Princeton’s police officers have demonstrated the true meaning of those words based on recent actions that have been recognized publicly by community members and other local policing agencies.

During Monday’s regular Princeton City Council meeting, Police Chief Tom Kammerer recognized five of his officers who have been commended recently for doing a job well done.

Officers Ryan Jennings and Dustin Schaill were complimented by Bureau County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Mike Ori in a letter sent to the police department highlighting the actions of the officers instrumental in apprehending a fugitive on June 17.

Kammerer explained how information had been sent to the department regarding a fugitive, identified as Michael Taylor. Police believed he was en route to a rural Princeton address, and Jennings and Schaill were able to persuade Taylor’s mother to stop when she arrived in Bureau County due to Taylor’s recent criminal activities and unknown stability.

“The subject was arrested without incident. It was great to see multiple agencies work together toward a common goal. All the officers involved spent significant time and remained focus during this operation,” Kammerer read from the letter by Ori.

Police officer Kendra Wolford was commended by Princeton Police Sgt. Dan Jaeger for investigation efforts on an incident that occurred July 7, involving a man who had been driving through Princeton’s Industrial Park (otherwise known as the Logistics Park) and knocked down light poles. Wolford was able to locate the offender in a neighboring community and arrested him.

“Instead of our insurance having to cover the costs of all those things, his insurance will have to do that. It ends up saving the city quite a bit of money and (Wolford) did a lot of the investigation on that. It was very nice work by her,” Kammerer said.

Police officers Tyler Wolf and Adam Gutshall were also recognized for their efforts in putting out a fire on May 1 that came too close for comfort to a resident’s home.

Kammerer shared a Facebook message sent to the police department by a citizen who thanked Wolf and Gutshall and called them heroes.

Kammerer explained the resident was on their way to work when they first noticed smoke coming from behind a co-worker’s home and then saw flames spreading fast behind the house.

The citizen wrote and said they’d witnessed the officers jump out of their squad cars and immediately start throwing dirt from a nearby pile on the fire and sprayed it with water from a hose.

The citizen said the officers almost had the fire put out by the time the fire department arrived.

Because of the prompt response by the officers and firefighters, the fire was extinguished minutes before having reached the house, according to Kammerer.

Following his report, Princeton Mayor Joel Quiram said Princeton has “the best equipped and trained police and fire departments around for a town this size.”

“We’re very fortunate,” he said.

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