Top Kane County cop to be named May 8

Batavia Moose Lodge 682 and the Kane County Chiefs of Police Association announce that the 31st annual Kane County Police Officer of the Year banquet and awards ceremony is scheduled for May 8.

The banquet and awards ceremony will take place at Lincoln Inn Banquets at 1345 S. Batavia Ave., Route 31, in Batavia. The evening starts with a social hour at 6 p.m. Dinner is at 7 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony.

This annual event honors law enforcement officers in Kane County who have been nominated for acts of valor, exceptional courage, humanitarian efforts, outstanding examples of good law enforcement or continuing education and achievement from the previous year.

The Louis F. Spuhler Memorial Award is given to the officer(s) selected as the Kane County Police Officer of the Year.

These officers have been nominated to receive this award and will be honored at this banquet:

Officers Andrew Dykstra and Charles Gibellina. Algonquin Police Department; Officers Donald Flowers, William Sullivan, Michael Townsend, Glenda Van Horn, Aurora Police Department; Detective G. Anthony Gramme, Batavia Police Department; Officer Matt Ostrem, Carpentersville Police Department; Detective Brian Gorcowski, Elgin Police Department; Officer Victor Valdez, Forest Preserve District Police of Kane County; Officers Jim Burton and Lance Pahle, Geneva Police Department; Commander Michael Gillette, Kane County Major Crimes Task Force; Sgt. Thomas Gartner and Trooper Jason Heinzl, Illinois State Police District 15; Inspector David Eggers, Kane-Cook Auto Theft Task Force; Deputy Ron Hain, Kane County Sheriff's Department; and Sgt. Gary Fenili and Officers Richard Heller, Steven Kurzawa and Jim Rust, Sugar Grove Police Department.

John A. Barsanti, state's attorney of Kane County, will serve as the banquet keynote speaker.

Banquet tickets are $30 per person and are available by contacting the Batavia Moose Lodge at (630) 879-7887.