Gurnee recognizes finest and bravest

Gurnee's bravest and finest were center stage at Monday night's village board meeting.

Two members of the Gurnee Fire Department were promoted, while another said farewell to village officials before a crowd of about 75 of his colleagues, friends and family.

On the police side, the annual top performance honors were handed out.

Michael Mann was named police officer of the year, while civilian employee of the year went to Jacqueline Cepaitis. Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik and Police Chief Robert Jones presented plaques to Mann and Cepaitis.

A Gurnee police detective, Mann was lauded for keeping up with his investigative caseload while lending his technical expertise to the department by working on electronic surveillance and computer forensics.

"He has been very successful solving several high-profile difficult cases," Jones said.

Mann also helped bolster the police department's technology needs by installing software and necessary updates, along with computer hardware. He was credited with implementing the technology that allows Gurnee police to file traffic accident reports from their squad cars.

Mann joined Gurnee police in 1998. Before his assignment to investigations in August 2006, he was an evidence technician, bicycle officer, gang officer, juvenile cop, patrol officer and child safety-seat technician.

Cepaitis, the chief's secretary in administration, has been the subject of many letters from the public expressing appreciation for the effort and service she's provided, police officials said.

Cepaitis has been involved in charity work outside of her Gurnee police job, which she's performed since December 1997.

She's assisted the Salvation Army's Waukegan chapter, does good works through her church and is involved in neighborhood programs near her Trevor, Wis., home.

Meanwhile, fire Lt. John Skillman was administered the oath of office for his promotion to captain/battalion chief. Firefighter/paramedic David Douglass was sworn in as a lieutenant.

Popular fire department Battalion Chief Barry Henby wore his dress blue uniform to say goodbye upon his retirement. Henby injected his trademark humor into his speech, which included compliments for all seven of the village's elected officials on the dais Monday evening.

I've had a ball - 30 years," Henby said. "One of the things about leaving the department, it's in good hands."

Henby received a standing ovation from the village board and everyone in the gallery when he was finished.