Awards banquet to recognize, raise money for police

The Maricopa Police Foundation is hosting its third annual Maricopa Police Department awards banquet Saturday to honor and benefit law enforcement and civilian personnel.

The Foundation is a nonprofit established in 2009 to provide MPD needed equipment, training or other programs it cannot afford. It is governed by a volunteer board of directors and all donations and grants are used to meet the goals of the foundation.

“(Then Police Chief Patrick Melvin) wanted to get this off the ground to help with non-budgetary items including training, equipment and grants for the department,” Foundation board member and former Mayor Kelly Anderson said.

“It allowed us to do some relevant training with the proper equipment,” Chief Steve Stahl said. “We had a mock school shooting training that we were able to do and invite other local departments down, and it helped make the training as realistic as possible with paintballs guns and victims and school lockdown situation. It got pretty intense.”

Last year’s event was attended by more than 150 department personnel and supporters. Numerous awards were handed out including sergeant (Stephen Judd) and officer (Arielle Cohen) of the year.

“We normally hand out an award for sergeant of the year, officer of the year, volunteer department member and civilian volunteer,” Stahl said. “We also highlight a detective or sergeant and go case-by-case to give a deep, behind-the-scenes look that people don’t normally see into the work that goes into a case and making an arrest.”

To attend the event, the department offers table sponsorship for a table seating up to eight, which costs $500. Sponsorship of an officer and their guest is $25 per person.

“Last year we raised enough money for plaques, K-9 police vests with a donation from the Cobblestone Farms H.O.A. and to pay for the event itself,” Anderson said.

In all, there have been $20,000 in grants to the foundation the past two years, Anderson said.