Platte County prosecutors recently recognized a combined total of more than 600 years of law enforcement work in the Northland. They acknowledged the service of 20 law enforcement officers employed in policing for at least 30 years.
Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said, “Each of these officers has devoted the majority of his life to law enforcement. They are a credit to our community, and it was my great privilege to thank them on behalf of the public.”
The prosecuting attorney’s office recognized the officers during its annual law enforcement training. For 19 years, Zahnd’s office has provided three hours of POST-certified training on legal issues free of charge to local law enforcement officers. POST, the MIssouri Police Officers Standards and Training Commission, requires officers to spend at least two hours each year training in legal studies.
This year, Zahnd’s office recognized any officer in attendance who had at least 30 years experience in law enforcement. Zahnd said the recognition was the brainchild of one of his long-time assistant prosecuting attorneys, Amy Ashelford. Ashelford has led traffic safety and treatment court efforts in Zahnd’s office during her 17-year career. She also serves as the prosecuting attorney for the city of Riverside.
Ashelford said, “It’s been a tough few years for law enforcement officers, and this is a small way to recognize the great work of officers all across the Kansas City metro. It sometimes seems like police only make the news when that news is bad, and that’s sad because officers do so much good every day.”
Pictured in the first photo (L-R): Bill Willoughby, Frank Thurman, Craig Hubbell, Dean Cull, Greg Crader, Tom Taulbee, Eric Zahnd, Kip McGrath, Larry Davis, Leroy Williams, Jim Kerns, Leroy Schettenberg, and Jon Jordan.
Pictured in the second photo (L-R): Tony Avery, Gordon Abraham, Kenneth Buck, Kevin Chrisman, Scott Engelage, Eric Zahnd, David Leeper, Chris Skinrood, and Jeff Shanks.