FOND DU LAC (NBC26) — U.S. Attorney General William Barr recognized a small group of law enforcement members all over the country this week with the Award for Distinguished Service in Policing. Out of more than 800,000 officers all over the country, 23 received this award. Three of them come from Fond Du Lac County.
Officers Denny Vokes and Vance Henning Jr., with the Fond Du Lac Police Department, and Detective Ryan Flood, with the Fond Du Lac County Sheriff's Office, each received a distinguished service medal for criminal investigations during a private ceremony Thursday.
“It’s a great honor, very humbling," said Henning. "It’s nice to know that you know the hard work is paying off and people are recognizing it.”
“When I received the word that me and my fellow coworkers are receiving this," said Vokes, "I was humbled and very surprised and very gracious.”
“It’s nice to be recognized for the work of the Fond Du Lac police Department and Dond Du Lac County Sheriff’s Office," said Flood.
Chief William Lamb, with the Fond Du Lac Police Department, nominated the three for their collective work in decreasing shootings, drug trafficking, illegal guns and gang activity in the county.
“I hope people remember when I said a couple years ago we’re responding very aggressively and very effectively because if this award doesn’t help prove that that was the case, I don’t know what would," he said.
After hundreds of hours of surveillance and dozens of suspect interviews, the three worked together to arrest more than 35 armed drug dealers.
“It was a lot of hard work a lot of investigative hours but we really don’t do this for the awards," said Vokes. "We do this just to make our communities safe and we all live in this community.”
They couldn't have gotten here without the collaboration of local, state and federal agencies, all three men agreed.
“It’s nice to have the commitment that the agency leaders have in helping us to impact the community in a positive way and try to pursue these kinds of crimes," said Flood.
By no means is this award the culmination of their efforts to decrease shootings and keep drugs off the streets, but rather encouragement to keep doing what they've been doing to keep the community safe, the officers said.
