Mt. Prospect police honor 2 as Officers of the Year

Mount Prospect Officers Anthony Lietzow and Cheryl Specht were named co-officers of the year this week by the Mount Prospect police department.

Specht has served for eight years in the department and is currently assigned to the tactical unit.

Specht received a departmental commendation with her partner, Leitzow, during a June narcotics investigation.

Their investigation lead to the seizure of more than $31,000 of drug money, effectively removing illegal funds from the drug trade, police said.

The selection committee also recognized Specht's demonstrated professionalism, leadership and consistent attention to duty.

Lietzow is a three-year veteran of the Mount Prospect Police Department and is also assigned to the tactical unit.

Lietzow received another commendation in addition to the one he received with Specht. It was for his apprehension of two car burglars in April. He observed two subjects break a window on a van and remove a portable navigation system.

Since 1982, the Mount Prospect Police Department Awards Committee, comprised of supervisory personnel as well as representatives from the patrol and investigative units, meets to select the department's "Officer of the Year" and runners-up.

The runners-up are officers Jonathan Juhl, Michael Landeweer, Jose Melendez, Joseph Ziokowski.

In order to be considered for the award, the officers must have consistently shown exceptional performance during the 12-month rating period.

The officer's ability to perform and conform to the standards of a professional police officer is pertinent to being nominated for "Officer of the Year."

The department has named co-officers of the year before. In 1995, Bill Roscop and John Wagner won it, said Mount Prospect Officer Dirk Ollech. The committee picks co-officers when the pair has done noteworthy work together, which was also the case this year, he said.

Workshop for learning disorders: Social-emotional learning disorders in children will be covered in a workshop sponsored by Rush NeuroBehavioral Center, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 29 at Oakton Community College, 1600 E. Golf Road, Des Plaines.

The keynote speaker will be Emily Rubin, a speech pathologist specializing in autism, Asperger's syndrome, and related social learning disabilities.

Registration is $150. For more information or to request a detailed program brochure, call Oakton's Alliance for Lifelong Learning at (847) 635-1498.