EPD names officer, dispatcher of the year, give third ever Purple Heart Award

On Monday, the Elyria Police Department held its second annual awards ceremony, recognizing a number of officers for saving lives, solving crimes and providing exceptional service in 2025. Police Chief James Welsh said that in the past the department had held award ceremonies infrequently and sporadically, but he has sought to make the event an annual occurrence to bring the department members and their families closer together, and to honor their work. During the ceremony, Welsh presented two of the department's rarest and most prestigious awards, as Sgt. Michael Walker received both the department's Medal of Valor and its Purple Heart Award. Walker received those commendations for his work in subduing Andrew Davison in Lorain County Common Pleas Court on June 12, 2025. Davison refused to be taken into custody after he was found guilty of attempted murder and instead fought Lorain County Sheriff's deputies who attempted to detain him. It took several deputies and Walker, who was in the courtroom because he had worked on the case against Davison, to subdue Davison. "Sgt. Walker's quick actions helped prevent Davison's escape, and prevent further injury to court staff, deputies and civilians present in the courtroom," Welsh said. "Sgt. Walker sustained significant injuries during the incident that required multiple surgeries, and he continues to recover from the lasting physical effects of the attack." Walker became only the third officer in the department's history to receive the Purple Heart Award. The Medal of Valor is the second highest honor the department can bestow after its Medal of Honor, which has only ever been awarded to the late officer James Kerstetter, who was killed in the line of duty. Some of the other notable awards handed out were those that were voted by the members of the department themselves: officer and dispatcher of the year. Officer Brittanny Miller was voted as the officer of the year by her peers, and Welsh cited her work ethic and investigative abilities as assets to the department and her fellow officers. "Over the past several years, (Miller) has consistently demonstrated loyalty, accountability, maturity and a positive attitude in all aspects of her assignment," Welsh said. "She embodies the department's core values and is well respected for maintaining professionalism and setting a positive example within the workplace." Dispatcher Stacy Witt was recognized as dispatcher of the year for her decades of service to the department and her professionalism. "She is a consistent advocate for individuals experiencing mental health crises and has been recognized by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for her compassion and commitment in these difficult situations," Welsh said. "Within the dispatch center, Stacy is regarded as a steady, dependable leader who routinely goes above and beyond for both the department and her co-workers." The department also handed out numerous medals of merit, including to officer John Juker for apprehending fugitive Donte Parker II, Detective Tyler Loesch for negotiating a peaceful end to an armed stand-off and Detective James Wise for leading the investigation into a 2022 shooting which killed 14-year-old Shayne Edwards. The following officers also received Life Saving Awards for saving the life of someone in the line of duty in 2025: Warren Crowell, Jacob Tomlin, Vincent Ligas Jr. and Paige Mitchell. Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.