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Member Recognition
On Tuesday, May 16, 2023, members of the Johnston Police Department were recognized with Letters of Appreciation and Certificates of Commendation for their excellent work in policing.
Officer Rodriguez Receives Lifesaving Award
On February 1, 2023, Officer Rodriguez was dispatched to a personal injury accident at Merle Hay Road and NW 70th Avenue intersection. Upon arrival, she discovered a male slumped unconscious behind the wheel of one of the vehicles. Officer Rodriguez quickly assessed that the male was in medical distress, but she could not immediately render aid because the vehicle was still in drive and the doors were all locked. She recognized the gravity of the situation and the necessity to gain access to the victim so he could receive medical attention, so she used her baton to break out the passenger side window, which allowed access to the vehicle while protecting the victim from breaking glass. Officer Rodriguez then unlocked the car doors, placed the vehicle in park, and removed the subject’s seat belt. Medics from the Johnston-Grimes Metropolitan Fire Department arrived, extracted the victim, and began immediate medical care. The victim was transported to the hospital and has since fully recovered due largely to Officer Rodriguez’s quick actions, which allowed medics to treat the victim immediately upon arrival.
Officer Rodriguez remained calm and composed, exercised sound decision-making, and showed a spirit of cooperation and teamwork during a tense situation. Her efforts were critical in allowing the fast rendering of advanced life support by medics in which the victim’s life was ultimately saved. Officer Rodriguez, thank you for a job well done.
Officer Rodriguez and Chief McDaniel
Corporation Wedemeyer Receives Lifesaving Award
On Monday, March 20, 2023, Polk County Dispatch received a 911 call from Camp Dodge regarding a male adult who was not breathing and receiving CPR from a bystander. Corporal Wedemeyer, who was the closest first responder available, quickly recognized the severity of the situation and offered to assist. Despite Camp Dodge being under the jurisdiction of the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Corporal Wedemeyer's timely intervention proved crucial in assisting the victim, who was a law enforcement professional. When he arrived at the scene, he assessed the situation and realized that the person performing CPR was exhausted. As a result, he took over and continued CPR until advanced life support arrived.
The JGMFD was able to revive the victim thanks to several rounds of CPR and shocks from an AED, which were administered by Corporal Wedemeyer and the JGMFD. The victim eventually regained consciousness and was able to communicate with first responders before being transported to the hospital. Without Corporal Wedemeyer's quick response and high-quality CPR, the victim would not have made it. We would like to thank Officer Wedemeyer for his calm and conscientious efforts and solid teamwork, which saved a fellow law enforcement professional's life. Well done, Officer Wedemeyer!
Corporal Wedemeyer and Chief McDaniel
On March 7, 2022, Johnston Police Department (JPD) officers were dispatched to Sonic on reports of an individual being stabbed and in need of medical assistance. First responding officers arrived at the scene and located the victim in an adjacent parking lot, immediately providing medical aid to the victim. Officers were also tasked with securing a large crime scene, identifying witnesses, and documenting information from eyewitnesses.
As the above actions were occurring, the suspect returned to Sonic and was safely detained without further incident.
- Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Love responded and assisted with documentation of and later categorization of, evidence recovered at the hospital and later from the initial scene. These duties were essential for a successful prosecution.
- Officer Runge was one of the officers who took the suspect into custody, and he was key in securing the knife that was used in the crime, which the suspect had in his possession. Runge ensured the knife was secured appropriately while also avoiding evidence contamination. Officer Runge was also one of the Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) that was utilized to fully document the scene and collect applicable evidence for prosecution purposes.
- Officer Hayes assisted with the above initial response to this incident as well as observing and providing security for the suspect interview with detectives. Officer Hayes’ actions greatly assisted with this investigation, which ultimately resulted in a conviction for murder.
- Lieutenant Nore was the on-scene supervisor and oversaw the initial response which included all the above actions as well as attempting to render life-saving aid to the victim. LT Nore’s actions were critical in setting up the entire police response for success. Based on the leadership and professionalism Nore demonstrated during the incident, the suspect was safely detained, separated from the weapon used in the crime, and significant evidence was gathered that ultimately led to the suspect being found guilty of murder.
- Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Naidenoff responded and assisted with the documentation of, and later categorization of, evidence recovered from the initial scene. These duties were crucial for identifying the evidence needed by the prosecutor for a successful investigative outcome.
- Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) Holtry responded and assisted with documentation of and later categorization of, evidence recovered at the hospital and from the initial scene. These duties were crucial for a successful prosecution.
- Sergeant Grandon was off duty, but immediately volunteered to help upon learning of this incident. He assisted and supervised numerous tasks that were assigned to him that were occurring at the incident scene including managing CSI investigators assigned to process the large crime scene. He was also the first officer to observe that the store’s security system had documented the incident. His timely efforts to provide investigators with factual information relative to the criminal activity were essential in expediting criminal charges against the offender. This video proved instrumental in obtaining a murder conviction.
The above actions reflected well on each member's professionalism and dedication to duty. Collaborative efforts like these were crucial in obtaining a conviction for murder
Left to Right: CSI Love, Officer Runge, Officer Hayes, Lieutenant Nore, Chief McDaniel, CSI Naidenoff, CSI Holtry and Sgt. Grandon
Crime Scene Investigator, Terry Dippold Receives Letter of Commendation
On March 7, 2022, officers from the Johnston Police Department (JPD) were dispatched to Sonic after receiving reports of an individual who had been stabbed and required immediate medical attention. Upon arrival, the officers quickly located the victim in an adjacent parking lot and provided necessary medical aid. In addition, they secured a large crime scene, interviewed witnesses, and documented information from eyewitnesses.
Meanwhile, the suspect returned to Sonic and was safely apprehended by the officers without any further incident. Upon inspection, the suspect was found to have the knife that was used in the crime in his possession. The officers took extra care to safely secure the weapon without contaminating any potential evidence.
To properly handle and secure evidence, the JPD initiated a full Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) response led by Community Service Officer Terry Dippold. Dippold expertly trained the CSI staff and oversaw their duties, including evidence documentation and retrieval, as well as the security and accountability of all evidence collected during the incident.
Thanks to the meticulous work of the CSI team, the suspect was found guilty of all charges and has since been sentenced to life imprisonment. The JPD greatly recognizes Terry Dippold's dedication to duty and excellence in bringing this case to successful criminal prosecution and has awarded him a Certificate of Commendation.
CSI Terry Dippold and Chief McDaniel
Detective Chiles Receives Letter of Commendation
On March 7, 2022, the Johnston Police Department (JPD) received a report of an individual being stabbed and requiring medical assistance at Sonic. The first responding officers quickly arrived at the scene and provided immediate medical aid to the victim, who was found in a nearby parking lot. Meanwhile, the officers secured a large crime scene, identified witnesses, and gathered information from eyewitnesses.
During this time, the suspect returned to Sonic and was safely detained without any further incident. The officers found the knife used in the crime in the suspect's possession and ensured that it was safely secured to avoid any contamination of evidence.
A robust store security video was recovered as evidence from the scene, and Detective Chiles was assigned to review and analyze it. With great care, Detective Chiles documented key moments of the crime and built a sequence of events from multiple camera angles. This was crucial in helping the prosecutors present a clear and compelling story of the events to the jury. Thanks to Detective Chiles' efforts, the prosecutors were able to effectively identify the suspect's intent and secure a guilty verdict for murder.
Detective Chiles and Chief McDaniel
Detective Meng Receives Certificate of Commendation
The Johnston Police Department (JPD) officers responded to a call on March 7, 2022, reporting a stabbing incident that required immediate medical attention. The officers quickly arrived at the location and found the victim in a nearby parking lot, where they provided necessary medical assistance. The officers also secured the crime scene, identified witnesses, and documented information from eyewitnesses.
Meanwhile, the suspect returned to the scene and was safely detained without any further incident. Upon searching the suspect, the officers found the knife used in the crime, which they safely secured to avoid evidence contamination.
To investigate the case, Detective Meng was assigned as the Lead Detective. He interviewed the suspect, who later confessed to the stabbing during an assault and burglary. Working closely with the Polk County Attorney’s Office, Detective Meng prepared and presented the case in court, even testifying for five hours as a witness. His hard work led to the suspect's conviction on all charges, and justice was served for the victim.
The JPD recognizes Detective Meng with a Certificate of Commendation for his professional and dedicated efforts in handling this case from start to finish.
Detective Meng and Chief McDaniel
Officer of the Year Award - Officer Naidenoff
We are pleased to announce that Officer Naidenoff has been selected as the recipient of this year's 'Officer of the Year Award'. He was chosen through a voting process by all the sworn members of the department, and his outstanding professionalism and exemplary behavior both on and off the job have set a high standard for others to follow. Officer Naidenoff is a respected leader within the organization and is often looked up to by new members. Congratulations to Officer Naidenoff on this well-deserved recognition.
Lieutenant Nore, Officer Naidenoff, Chief McDaniel
Annual Top Shot Award - Officer Chiles
Officer Chiles has been announced as this year's recipient of the prestigious 'Top Shot Award'. Having completed the annual pistol qualifications with flying colors, Officer Chiles secured the top score for the department as evaluated by the Firearms Instructor. It's worth noting that Officer Chiles achieved a perfect score of 100% which is the minimum requirement to be eligible for this award. Congratulations to Officer Chiles on this well-deserved recognition!
Lieutenant Nore, Officer Chiles, Chief McDaniel
Ripple Effect Award - Officer Runge
Officer Runge is the deserving recipient of this year's 'Ripple Effect Award'. He embodies positivity in every aspect of his duties, causing a ripple effect throughout the organization that contributes to a more pleasant and efficient work environment. The department's sworn members voted for the officer who they believed deserved this recognition. Congratulations to Officer Runge on this well-deserved honor!