Plainfield Police Honor Their Own

Village trustees took some time out at a recent board meeting to recognize some of Plainfield’s finest.

Plainfield Police Cmdr. Kevin Greco announced the department’s 2012 officer, supervisor and civilian employee of the year.

Det. Dino Dabezic, who joined the Plainfield Police Department in 2004, was named officer of the year, with special recognition given to his work on two high-profile cases.Dabezic investigated a series of arsons that began in late 2011 and continued into 2012 on Hazelwood Drive.

Dabezic investigated a series of arsons that began in late 2011 and continued into 2012 on Hazelwood Drive.

The 12-year-old suspect, who later confessed to the crimes, was apprehended when Dabezic caught him breaking into a car.

Read:

• Boy Committed Arsons to 'See How Big the Fires Would Get,' Chief Says
  
• Suspicious Fires Now Total 5, All on the Same Block, Officials Say
  

Dabezic  was also the lead investigator in a shooting at a Main Street apartment building in August 2012.

Police said the six residents were targeted in the incident, in which witnesses said men burst into an apartment in the 24000 block of Main Street demanding drugs and money. One of the residents was shot in the chest while scuffling with one of the assailants.

Two suspects were arrested in October 2012.

“[Dabezic’s] hard work and leadership paid off, as the [Investigations] Unit was able to identify, locate, gain confessions from and arrest all suspects involved in the shooting,” Chief John Konopek said in a press release.

Related:

• Police: Assailants Targeted Apartment in Main Street Shooting
  
• Man Arrested in Plainfield Shooting
  
• One Arrested in Plainfield Home Invasion, Shooting

Munson named supervisor of the year

Sgt. Eric Munson was named the 2012 Supervisor of the Year.Munson, who started working with the Plainfield Police Department in June 1999, took change of the department’s traffic unit in October 2007.

Munson is credited with coordinating and overseeing several tasks in 2012, including numerous seat belt campaigns, roadside safety checks, railroad grade crossing enforcement details, two speed safety awareness campaigns (one on Route 30 and another on Route 126), Operation Prom Night re-enactments, Operation Life Saver within the school environment and the education of high school students as part of the driver’s ed program.

Under Munson’s leadership, Plainfield was recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police National Law Enforcement Challenge as the first-place winner and recipient of the 2011 Championship Class. The first-place win came as Plainfield was selected over 19 other applicants, including the California Highway Patrol (7,500 officers); Fairfax County,Virginia, Police Department (1,391 officers); the Fresno, California, Police Department (831 officers); the Tallahassee, Florida, Police Department (350 officers); and the Naperville Police Department (175 officers).


For the past several years, Plainfield has won every eligible Traffic Challenge category through the Illinois and International Association of Chiefs of Police under Munson’s leadership.

Civilian employee of the year

Senior Records Technician Carla Adams was named the 2012 Civilian Employee of the Year.Adams began working with the Plainfield Police Department in August 1989.

“Throughout the years, Carla has established herself as an authority in all matters pertaining to the records unit, and has become well versed in procedures concerning other units,” Konopek. “ … Carla’s professionalism in the face of conflict is exemplary; and her ability to consistently provide customer service that goes above and beyond for both internal and citizen requests is commendable.”

Greco also applauded Adams for her hard work.

“There’s no police officer on the street that could get the job done without our civilian staff,” he said.