Top Guns: Losagio, Frankenfield honored; Kress new community officer By PAUL WILLISTEIN pwillistein@tnonline.com Salisbury Township honored its finest at an awards ceremony for the police department. The township's first community police officer was also announced at the May 14 event. Salisbury Township Police Chief Allen W. Stiles presented awards to the men in blue and township officials designated May 11 to 15 as Salisbury Township Police Department Week and May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day. Officer Bryan Losagio received the department's Traffic Top Gun Award for issuing 1,059 traffic citations in 2008. Losagio also received a regional award, Stiles noted. Officer Budd Frankenfield III received the department's DUI Top Gun Award for making 62 DUI arrests in 2008. Stiles announced that Officer Kevin Kress would become the township's first Community Police Officer, covering Wards 1 and 2. The township will hire a new officer, its 17th officer, so that Kress can begin his new assignment. "We're going to try to revitalize our community block watch program to make the quality of life better for the residents of Salisbury Township," Stiles said in making the announcement of Kress's appointment. The police department also presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Carl T. Raub II, custodian for the department's Public Safety Building. Raub is also custodian for the township Public Works Department building and the Municipal Building. Stiles presented Honorable Mention awards to Sergeant Kevin Soberick, Sergeant Ronald Patten, Detective Brian Klimowicz, Officer Donald Sabo, Jr., Officer Jason Laky and K-9 dog Zeus, Officer Michael Palansky, Officer Kyle Rehatchek, Officer Chris Casey, Officer Jeff Renninger, Officer Jay Vasilik, Losagio and Frankenfield for the April 30, 2008, Dignitary Protection Detail-Assistance to the United States Secret Service for presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's visit to Lehigh Valley Hospital - Cedar Crest Campus. "They did a fantastic job. I got so many good comments from the Secret Service," Stiles said. Noting the 20-minute ceremony, Stiles explained, "We have a very brief ceremony tonight because our awards are driven by bad things happening. "Fortunately, a lot of bad things didn't happen in 2008. Our officers were able to respond to prevent things from happening," Stiles said. The honorees were selected by a committee of the chief and members of the Salisbury Township Police Officers Association. Reprinted with permission from the Salisbury Press May 20, 2009