Mt. Prospect honors top police officers of 2009

Police Officer Anthony Lietzow has been named the Mount Prospect Officer of the Year for 2009.

Lietzow is a six-year veteran of the police department and a 15-year veteran of law enforcement.

As a member of the department's undercover tactical unit, he made 24 felony arrests, 35 misdemeanor arrests, and participated in a highly successful F.B.I. national prostitution sting.

Throughout the year, Lietzow and the tactical unit seized large quantities of narcotics, including cocaine, cannabis, LSD and illegal steroids.

Beyond the statistics, Lietzow's daily performance, professionalism, attitude, initiative, reliability and desire were cited as factors leading to his selection.

His unwavering commitment and willingness to share his expertise in the area of gang and narcotics investigations with his peers also factored in to his selection.

Mount Prospect has been giving the "Officer of the Year" award since 1982.

Four other Mount Prospect police officers were named runners-up.

Officer Michael Angarola: Angarola is in his first year as a patrolman with the Mount Prospect Police Department.

In January 2009, he graduated from the academy with the highest grade point average of his graduating class and received the Ervin H. Warren Award, the highest honor awarded to a single member of his class.

During his brief time as a patrol officer, Angarola has become one of the department leaders in self-initiated activity. In 2009, he ranked third in the entire department with 17 DUI arrests. He also made 37 additional self-initiated arrests.

Angarola's selection for this award was also based on his demonstrated professionalism as evidenced by his dependability and consistent attention to duty throughout 2009.

Detective Mark Recker: Recker is a 22-year veteran of the Mount Prospect Police Department and is currently assigned to the investigative unit.

He led an exhaustive and professional investigation of a child homicide which led to the arrest of the child's father for first-degree murder. Also recognized was Recker's dependability and willingness to always go above and beyond the call of duty. Recker also continues to serve as a mentor to less-experienced detectives in the investigative unit.

Recker was Mount Prospect Police Department's Runner-Up "Officer of the Year" in 1996 and 1998.

Officer Richard LaBarbera: LaBarbera is a three-year veteran of the Mount Prospect Police Department and is currently assigned to the patrol division on the midnight shift.

On one occasion, LaBarbera responded to a violent domestic dispute where the victim was stabbed in her neck by her husband and bleeding heavily. He was requesting medical assistance for the victim when he was approached by the offender. LaBarbera then issued verbal commands for the offender to stop and get on the ground, which he eventually did. LaBarbera placed the offender into custody and managed to avoid further injury.

LaBarbera performed his duties under stress, controlling the scene and keeping the dispatcher informed of the developing situation. Beyond this situation, his dependability and willingness to always go above and beyond the call of duty are attributes that contributed to his selection.

Officer Alison Teevan: Teevan is a three-year veteran of the Mount Prospect Police Department and was assigned to the patrol division's midnight shift.

Arresting impaired drivers is one of the primary objectives of the midnight shift and Teevan led the entire department in DUI arrests. She also led the midnight shift in self-initiated arrests, including several drug arrests. Her attention to detail, initiative, professionalism, and knowledge as a juvenile officer were other factors leading to her selection for this award.