Six law enforcement officers were honored Thursday by the Monroe Exchange Club.

The 56th annual Law Enforcement Recognition Luncheon was held at the Monroe Golf and Country Club. The 101-year-old Monroe Exchange Club has held the Law Day program since 1967 as part of National Crime Prevention Week.

This year, a new award category was added: 911 Dispatcher of the Year.

As in the past, an officer from each of the local law enforcement agencies was named Officer of the Year and received a commendation and plaque for his or her service.

This year’s honorees were: Officer Michael Norman, Officer Shawn Kotsch, Deputy Cody Carena, Corrections Officer Calvin Stump, 911 Supervisor Crissy Miller and Trooper Tyler Gillig.

Judge Mark S. Braunlich of Monroe County’s 38th Circuit Court offered opening and closing remarks. Braunlich has organized Law Day for the past 20 years. Before that, it was organized by his father, the late Judge Paul Braunlich.

“It is a most challenging time to serve as a police officer, particularly with the proliferation of firearms and the perplexing lack of respect for authority. I am and we should all be alarmed at the increasing violence directed at police officers. The issue must remain at the top of our list of society concerns,” Braunlich said. “Officers are confronting suspects who more likely than not are in possession of a firearm. There is no such things as a routine call.”

This year's honorees were:

• Officer Michael Norman, a Dundee police officer, was named Municipal Police Officer of the Year. He was introduced by Dundee Lt. Randy Sehl.

Sehl said Norman was an Eagle Scout and served in the National Guard. A graduate of the Oakland Community College Police Academy, he was deployed to Iraq in 2006. Norman worked for the Federal Bureau of Prisons and was a police officer in veterans hospitals. He retired from the federal bureau in August.

“He’s completely about service,” Sehl said.

Norman also is a certified firearms instructor and leads the department in drunken-driving arrests. He’s received several lifesaving awards and serves as an EMT and firefighter. He even helps repair service vehicles.

“He has a lot on his plate, and he always does a great job,” Sehl said.

• Officer Shawn Kotsch was named City of Monroe Police Officer of the Year. He was introduced by Chad Tolstedt, public safety director. Tolstedt earned a Law Day award 19 years ago.

Tolstedt said Kotsch, who's been with the department since 2017, is well-deserving of the award because of his excellent police work, positive attitude and professionalism. Kotsch is a road patrol officer, a trainer, public safety officer and an accident investigator.

“It’s a pleasure to watch him grow as an officer,” Tolstedt said.

Kotsch was nominated by his fellow officers and commanding officers.

• Deputy Cody Carena from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office was named Deputy of the Year. He was introduced by Sheriff Troy Goodnough.

A Temperance native, Carena is a 2010 Bedford High School graduate. He earned a degree in criminal justice from Lake Superior State University. He also has an associate degree in homeland security.

Before coming to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, he worked for 4½ years for the Erie Township police. He also served 10 years in the Coast Guard.

Goodnough said Carena was drawn to law enforcement because of two early encounters with officers.

At age 5, while fishing with his father and grandfather, Carena was given a sticker by an officer for wearing his life jacket. Later, he was impressed by the work of Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Broman.

Carena was chosen for the honor by his peers.

• Corrections Officer Calvin Stump was named Corrections Officer of the Year, which was a new category at last year’s Law Day. Stump was introduced by Goodnough.

A Maybee native, Stump is a 1999 Dundee High School graduate.

He joined the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in 2017 and has been a field training officer and CPR instructor.

Stump also is a captain with the London-Maybee-Raisinville Fire Department and has earned lifesaving awards.

“He is the person others go to to seek advice and guidance,” Goodnough said.

The sheriff suggested the CO of the Year award last year because, he said, corrections at the county jail are in “triage every day.” He liked them to the offensive line.

“In football, you hear only about the quarterback, not the offensive line keeping the quarterback safe. COs are my offensive line,” Goodnough said.

• Monroe County Central Dispatch Supervisor Crissy Miller was named 911 Dispatcher of the Year, the first for the award. Miller was introduced by Donna Kuti, central dispatch director.

Kuti said Miller has been a Monroe County dispatcher for 24 years.

“She’s a great mentor. She genuinely and truly cares about others. If there is someone in need, she takes care of them,” Kuti said.

Kuti told the audience about a 911 call in which parents from Illinois were following their teen daughter by car. Their daughter was driving toward Michigan to meet an older man. The parents called 911 in other cities and were repeated referred elsewhere. When they reached Miller, she stayed on the phone with them and dispatched services, even though the parents weren’t in her coverage area. The parents and daughter were reunited with Miller still on the line.

• Trooper Tyler Gillig was named Michigan State Police Trooper of the Year. He was introduced by 1st Lt. Stephen Borello, commander of the Monroe Post of the Michigan State Police.

Gillig attended high school in Tiffin, Ohio, and earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Defiance College. He serves Monroe and Lenawee counties.

“He has just five months on the road (after supervised road time). I asked (the other officers) who to nominate. Hands down it was Gillig. It was a landslide,” Borello said.

Last year, Gillig made 1,289 traffic stops and issued 431 warnings. He responded to 1,038 citizen complaints and made 140 arrests, 25 of which were for felonies.

Borello said Monroe has had an MSP post since the Prohibition Days of 1918. He spoke highly of Monroe County.

“This community really does a great job recognizing law enforcement. There are 83 counties in Michigan. It’s not like this across the state of Michigan, not at all,” he said.

Many attended the luncheon and program, including Exchange Club members, honorees and their families and supervisors, Monroe Mayor Bob Clark, Monroe County Commissioner Randy Richardville, and several local judges.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Six law enforcement officers honored at Law Day program