2 Carpentersville cops named Kane County Officers of the Year
Two Carpentersville police officers were named Kane County Officers of the Year Thursday night for actions they took when a gang member shot at them June 18.
Sgt. Kevin Stankowitz and officer Ian Abrahamsen, members of its gang and drugs unit, were in an unmarked squad when they recognized a man who belonged to a gang.
He flashed gang signs at them. They made a U-turn to confront him - and he started shooting at them with a .38-caliber handgun, officials said.
Both officers were injured by flying shards of glass from the shots. But they returned fire, striking the man twice.
The suspect ran into the home of a fellow gang member, officials said, and eventually the two officers convinced him to surrender.
"All too often similar violent situations end with law enforcement officers losing their lives. Sgt. Kevin Stankowitz and officer Ian Abrahamsen acted the way they were trained in a profession they proudly serve," their nomination letter sated. It said their actions were brave and prevented innocent bystanders from being injured.
The 43rd annual award was bestowed at a banquet in Geneva.
The winners are selected by a committee from the Batavia Lodge 682, Loyal Order of Moose. The lodge started honoring police officers at the suggestion of a member, the late Kane County Sheriff's Deputy Louis Spuhler.
Other nominees were:
• Officer Ray Lopez and Investigator Jen Hillgoth of the Aurora Police Department.
• Bartlett Detective Eric Kistler.
• Elgin Detective Andrew Houghton.
• Geneva Sgt. Eli Rivera.
• Illinois State Police District 2 Trooper Boguslaw Kramarz.
• Illinois State Police District 15 Trooper Kevin Kelliher.
• Kane County Deputy Luke Weston.
• St. Charles officer Jose Jacobo.
• West Dundee Sgt. Daniel Haines.
The Aurora Police Department also received an award, for its work at the mass shooting in February 2019 at the Henry Pratt Co. Five officers were injured responding to the attack.