Mitchell honored as Elk's Officer of the Year

Updated 8:48 a.m. April 1

Corey Mitchell was quick to point out he was not the only law enforcement official to enter a Kinzer Street apartment on July 19 or the only one shot that morning.

“It’s very humbling,” said the Poplar Bluff police detective of being named the Elk’s Officer of the Year on Saturday night during the 32nd annual Elk’s Law and Order Night.

“There were other officers on the scene,” Mitchell added. “Obviously, Austin (Lemonds) got recognized for his heroism as far as being a young officer coming in under (an) active shooter situation to pull a fellow officer out.”

Mitchell was hit in the right forearm by one of multiple shots fired by a suspect during an attempt to serve an arrest warrant.

As other officers returned fire, Lemonds grabbed Mitchell like “the Incredible Hulk” and pulled him over a table and out of the apartment to safety.

Lemonds then returned to the hallway with his fellow officers, Poplar Bluff Police chief Danny Whiteley said during his introduction of Lemonds as the department’s Officer of the Year award.

“That speaks volumes,” Mitchell said. “In my opinion, I think he should have been Elk’s Officer of the Year.”

Both were among 15 members of law enforcement in Butler and Ripley counties honored during the event, which featured guest speaker Jeff Jensen, United States attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.

Jensen recognized both Mitchell and Lemonds, who were given a standing ovation.

“I thought that was more important than anything I’m going to say tonight,” said Jensen, who spoke of the partnership between state and federal officials to get the violent crime rate lowered.

“We have to do that by working together,” he said after noting the relationship is the best he’s seen in 30 years because “of the people in this room.”

State and federal officers were serving a warrant on July 19. Along with Mitchell, it was later discovered that a U.S. Marshal Task Force officer was shot in his bullet-proof vest and that another shot had struck the bullet-proof shield held by the deputy marshal.

“By God’s grace the bullet wasn’t a few inches to the right. That injury would likely have resulted with Corey losing his life,” said Donnie Trout, Poplar Bluff police deputy chief and a member of the Poplar Bluff Elk’s lodge, during his introduction of Mitchell.

“During his 24-year career, Corey has always set the bar as his time as a patrol officer and K-9 officer and narcotics detective,” Trout added.

Said Mitchell, “Austin definitely deserves it. A gunshot wound is one of those things that is part of our job and for somebody as young as he is to come in — he’s a hero to me. We’ll both have that connection, and I love him like a brother.”

Lemonds joined the Poplar Bluff Police Department in 2015 in the communications division and was promoted a year and a half later to a patrol officer.

“This young man has always been energetic, enthusiastic and an absolute pleasure to work with,” Whiteley said during his introduction of Lemonds. “He loves his job and demonstrates it daily in his performance.”

Cpl. J.T. Wilson was named Trooper of the Year in Troop E of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

In May, Wilson rescued a family of seven from the Current River after their inner tube was entangled in a root wad, causing them to overturn. Seeing this from shore, Wilson quickly pulled five children out of the water, got them to safety and proceeded down river to find the struggling adults.

“All seven family members were free from injury due to this officer’s quick actions and his resourcefulness,” said Lt. Michele Coon in presenting the award.

In June, Wilson worked a deadly boat crash on the Black River, finding six people injured in a scene that was “very chaotic when he arrived,” Coon said.

Wilson coordinated and completed a thorough investigation with “many long hours of dedicated work to ensure the impaired driver was brought to justice,” she added.

The Patrol’s Radio Operator of the Year was given to Danielle Shepard.

An eight-year veteran of the department, Shepard used her own time and money to make a personalized gift for every communications department employee in Troop E because “she felt it was important to acknowledge all the radio operators for what they do for the patrol,” Coon said.

The Patrol’s Civilian of the Year was Willis Lewis, a drivers’ examiner supervisor for his “commitment to excellent customer service and using his vast knowledge to assist others.”

The Butler County Sheriff Department’s Donwell Clark Award was presented to Derek House.

“Very dedicated and polite,” Sheriff Mark Dobbs said. “Always does more than what he’s asked to do.”

The Support Staff of the Year award was presented to Erica Johnson for keeping things organized, said Dobbs.

The Corrections Officer of the Year award was given to Michael McMeans for what Dobbs described as his good attitude and always being there when extra things need to be done.

The Civilian Employee of the Year for the Poplar Bluff Police Department was presented to Tracy Ketcherside.

Whiteley said, “she has the ability to multi-task during highly stressful” calls and “remains calm and committed to the safety of the public and officers.”

Ripley County Sheriff Mike Barton said his Deputy of the Year, Chad Keathley, had just recently been promoted to investigator and has never crashed a patrol car.

Butler County Prosecutor Kacey Proctor announced Carol Swafford as Employee of the Year saying she “shows up every day with a great attitude.”

Ripley County Prosecutor Ted Thompson honored crime victims advocate Christy Patterson.

“Working with victims — I rather refer to them as survivors — you don’t know the impact that you have on some of our victims,” Patterson told the crowd.

The 36th Judicial Circuit recognized criminal court clerk Kelly Stanfield, who Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett noted, has served as clerk for 24 years under five judges and five clerks.

James Berry, district administrator for Probation & Parole, named assistant Vern Merritt for the Support Staff of the Year Award for “keeping staff and residents safe and teaching classes to help make individuals successful and employed productive citizens.”

Unit Supervisor Lanny Corcimiglia was named Probation & Parole Officer of the Year.

Berry said Corcimiglia, who has been with the department 20-plus years, worked “tirelessly over the past 18 months to build our Community Supervision Center into a new, better facility with new emphasis of accountability, programming and long-term success.”

A moment of silence was held for retired patrol Sgt. Dennis Overbey who recently died.