The Folsom Police Department held its annual Awards and Promotion Ceremony on April 30, recognizing a wide array of outstanding service, bravery, and community contributions by its officers, staff, and dedicated volunteers. Held with formality and pride, the event celebrated the accomplishments of department personnel during the 2023–2024 service year issuing promotions and honoring those who “exemplify the department’s mission.”
The ceremony was hosted by Lieutenant Lou Wright and opened with the Folsom Police Department Honor Guard’s posting of the colors, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a stirring performance of the national anthem by Jessica Visconti. Pastor Ron Perry delivered the invocation, and Police Chief Rick Hillman offered opening remarks, expressing his deep appreciation for the department’s tireless dedication and resilience.
Among the highlights of the evening were several well-deserved promotions. Four officers were promoted to the rank of Corporal: Melissa White, Justin Cain, Matthew Schmidt, and Shawn Willey. Advancing to the rank of Sergeant were Derek Koupal, Jeffrey Hedgepeth, and Patrick Thibeault. The department also recognized new Lieutenants: John Wagner and Jeana Marendt, whose leadership will help guide Folsom’s public safety efforts in the years ahead.
Several awards honored individual and group efforts across a range of service areas. The Outstanding Trainer of the Year award went to Jarus Perez and Michael Austin for their commitment to advancing department-wide skills and readiness.
The Citizen Award was presented to CAPS (Citizens Assisting Public Safety) volunteers Norton Eastment, Darrin Simmons, Gary Bakulich, and Rod Turner, whose behind-the-scenes contributions have helped strengthen the relationship between the department and the public it serves.
Officers who carried out remarkable investigations were honored with the Exceptional Investigation Award, including Morgan Sears, Melissa White, Gavin Plank, and Patrick Thibeault.
Tyler Fordham received the Police Citation Award for commendable action in the line of duty.
The Community Policing Award recognized Sergey Chernyavskiy, Valentin Zazhitskiy, and Daren Prociw for their impactful engagement with local residents and proactive service.
Several officers and detectives earned the Unit Citation Award for collaborative excellence, including Jarus Perez, Melissa White, Justin Cain, Morgan Sears, Brandon Monsoor, Zachary Wells, Austin Alvarez, Arthur Brown, Rickey Jones, and Michael Grueneberg.
Honorees of the Life Saving Award were Josh Sena, Paul Rice, Zachary Wells, and Jarus Perez, recognized for their decisive actions that directly saved lives.
The Distinguished Service Award went to David Canepa, Brandon Monsoor, Andrew Graham, William Maslak, and Rickey Jones, acknowledging long-term service and sustained excellence.
The Merit-Emergency Award, granted for exemplary performance under emergency conditions, was awarded to Tajghi Robertson, Sergey Chernyavskiy, Austin Vail, Michael Austin, Andrew Graham, and William Maslak.
The event was supported by the Folsom Police Foundation and Citizens Assisting Public Safety (CAPS), whose ongoing partnerships help,”elevate the work of the department and ensure that officers have the resources and recognition they deserve.”
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