Employee/Officer of the Month :: 2007

November 28th, 2007 by Cpl Edward Koczan

The South Bend Police Department recognizes employees monthly for outstanding service or duty. The purpose of the Employee of the Month Award is to recognize officers or civilian employees on our department who have demonstrated actions that are noted by supervisors, or citizens from both a professional law enfocement position, and in support of our community policing efforts with our city citizens.

We will present this as a monthly feature as awards are noted and commended.

Cpl Keenan Lane patrolling the neighborhood.

July 2007:: SBPD Corporal Keenan Lane

Cpl. Keenan Lane was commended with an “Exemplary Service Award” for exceptional investigative work in uncovering a possible pedophile in seen in the area of Muessel School on 9-11-07. Cpl. Lane could have just taken the information, and after running the license plate of the vehicle/ person in question, could have stopped the investigation. However, acting in his diligent manner, Cpl. Lane went further to search the suspect through the department’s Records Division.

He discovered the suspect was indeed a past sex offender, having attacked a seven-year-old female in 1990. Yet because of the laws at that time, he was not still listed as a registered sex offender. Armed with this updated information, the Uniform Patrol Division is currently seeking the suspect for further surveillance or questioning.

Supervisors state Cpl. Lane’s initiative illustrates his work ethic, and in this case “he possibly saved another child from becoming a victim of a horrendous act.”