Evanston Police recognize seven-year-old, citizens who help
3.29.05 Monica McCullough, age 7 (pictured with Chief of Police Frank Kaminski and Mayor Lorraine H. Morton) and student at Evanston’s Kingsley School, was among the civilians receiving commendations from the Evanston Police Department (EPD) at the Annual Police Awards Ceremony held in the City Council Chambers on March 28.
Young McCullough found a loaded handgun on January 4 in the girl’s bathroom at the school and immediately notified her teacher who recovered the weapon and delivered it to the proper school authorities.
“Because of her mature thinking and actions, a tragic situation was avoided,” Chief of Police Frank Kaminski said.
The annual awards ceremony recognizes community members and volunteers who recently assisted the department, and officers who
have distinguished themselves through extra efforts during routine police business.
Other civilians who received Citizen Commendations because they assisted during specific events included: Tina Compton, Craig Garfield, Yvon Tertulien and Service Desk Officer Susan Pontarelli.
Compton and Garfield, two employees from Evanston Hospital, came to the aid of a tow truck driver who became pinned under the rear dual tries of his truck while hitching up a vehicle in the hospital parking lot. Due to their actions, the driver survived a dangerous situation.
Yvon Tertulien (pictured with Chief of Police Frank Kaminski and Mayor Lorraine H. Morton), an Evanston resident, was in his car stopped behind a vehicle that suddenly became engulfed in flames. Tertulien responded by running to the vehicle and pulling the driver, who was unaware of the situation, to safety.
Pontarelli received a call from a mentally ill subject who stabbed his roommate to death. The Desk Officer ascertained critical information when the caller had difficulty communicating and kept the subject on the phone to orchestrate a safe emergency response.
Partnership awards were presented to citizen volunteers who assisted the Evanston Police Department during in their spare time: Fortino Leon, Terri January, Jean Speyer-Scruggs, Michele Hayes, Maria Boyle, Rick Pasquesi and Jeff Wisniewski.
Many of the Department’s sworn personnel were recognized with Honorable Mentions for their efforts during specific incidences, including: Officers Jody Wright, Joe Dugan,
Joseph Bush, Anna Ostap, Erica Floyd, Fernando S. Gomez, Tim Van 
Dyk, Ted Schiebein, Marcin Kubiak; and Sergeants Ronald Godby, Angela Hearts-Glass, Steven Goldenberg.
The Neighborhood Enforcement Team (NET) received a Unit Citation for efforts leading to the charge of 17 individuals that participated in a major “crack” cocaine distribution operation. The team includes Commander Tom Cabanski, Sergeant Dan Russell, and Officers Alan Belin, Jeffrey Devroy, Mark Poya, Larry Miller, Tracy Williams, Nicholas Demos, Ryan Glew, Chukwuemeka Atum and Vince Santillo.
Timothy Ogden, associate special agent in charge from the Drug Enforcement Agency and John O’Malley from the U.S. Marshall Service were recognized with Law Enforcement Partnership Awards for their work with NET on the incident.