The Green Bay Packers recognized several exemplary Wisconsin law enforcement officers for going above and beyond the call of duty with the Packers Protect & Serve Award.
The recipients received a special award and a $2,000 grant to benefit their department or a nonprofit. They were treated to a luncheon and an award presentation, as well as speeches from Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy and Two Rivers Assistant Chief of Police Melissa Wiesner. Several award winners attended with their family members, friends, fellow officers and superiors.
Winners presented awards this spring include:
- Officer Devan Arbay from the UW-Madison Police Department
- Deputies Jaime Buelter, Jerad Landheer and Kayla Tritt from the Dodge County Sheriff's Office
- Sergeant Brian Chic from the West Milwaukee Police Department
- Officer Connor Cunningham from the UW-Madison Police Department
- State Trooper Jose I. Del Rio Aviña from the Wisconsin State Patrol
- Conservation Warden Zack Feest from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Deputy Sheriff - Detective Nicholas Krahn from the Dane County Sheriff's Office
- Crime Prevention Officer/Peer Support Coordinator Felicia Labatore from the Kenosha Police Department
- Deputy Justin Neumann from the Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department
- A/Captain Michael Sobieck from the Green Bay Police Department
- Officer Dustin Wichmann from the Eagle River Police Department
- K-9 Officer Flash and handler, Officer Cole Parker, from the Hartford Police Department
- School Resource Officer Payne Hughes from the Appleton Police Department
- Two Rivers Police Department
The awards themselves, hand-crafted wooden American flags, were made by Oneida Police Sergeant Nathan Ness through his small business HomeLee Woodworking.
The Packers Protect & Serve Award is funded by the Packers and the NFL Foundation, with each award recipient receiving a $2,000 grant to benefit his or her department or a nonprofit with which they are involved.
The Packers Protect & Serve Award is part of Green Bay Packers Give Back, the Packers' all-encompassing community outreach initiative. Combined with other Green Bay Packers charity endeavors, the awards contribute to a comprehensive Packers charity impact that was in excess of $13 million last year.
