Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard recognized seven individuals from the Addison and Oxford substations and seven citizens at their annual awards program in Pontiac May 9.
Six individuals were awarded the citizen citation for their help in a May 2006 arson investigation involving 16-year-old Oxford resident Joel Mason Thomas, who was charged for breaking and entering into the Oxford Public Library and for setting a fire in the Oxford school district’s maintenance garage.
Nathan Aquilina, a 2006 Oxford High School graduate, Kurt Meyer, the senior systems administrator for Oxford Schools, media specialist Tom Starks, OHS principal Mike Schweig, technology director Tim Throne, and Ken Weaver, who was assistant principal at OHS at the time of the incident, were all awarded.
An OHS junior was also awarded a citation for her help in stopping a possible student threat this past March.
She informed sheriff’s investigators she had heard Kyle Reece Knox admit to stealing a rifle and selling it to a former OHS student, Kyle Michael Etherton, who allegedly planned to come to school and ‘go around shooting people.?
From the Oxford substation, deputy Georgia Willyard received the sheriff’s special commendation certificate for her work on a breaking and entering incident.
Deputies Jeff Gerds and Michael Schmitzerle each received the sheriff’s special commendation certificate for emergency assistance, and leadership skills during a April 2006 murder/suicide, respectively.
Deputy Jeffrey Kesselring received the sheriff’s special commendation for his work during a December 2006 home invasion. Deputy Howard Weir of the Addison substation also received a commendation for the home invasion, as well as a commendation certificate for apprehending a gunman and a citation for professional excellence.
Oxford deputy David Slazinski received a commendation certificate for his help apprehending a gunman.
Lt. Larry Perry also received his equivalency bar at the awards ceremony.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard recognized 9 individuals from the Oxford substation and three citizens at their annual National Peace Officers Memorial Day awards in Pontiac May 12.
Oxford Middle School principal Ken Weaver was given a citizen citation for for his actions in determining the responsible individual who made bomb threats at the schools Nov. 15, 2007.
After experiencing several other bomb threats throughout the year, Weaver developed a possible suspect by analyzing the handwritten messages being left in a restroom.
The individual, a sixth grade female student, eventually confessed to the crime.
Both Oxford High School assistant principal Paul McDevitt and teacher Christine McPherson were also awarded a citizen citation for their actions after a Nov. 6, 2007 bomb threat at their school.
After the discovery of a handwritten bomb threat in a bathroom, he copied the message to show the staff.
McPherson recognized it as the handwriting of one of her students.
From the Oxford substation, deputy James Willyard received the sheriff’s distinguished service award for his work on a daily basis and as a field training officer for 10 years.
Deputy Mark Forest received two sheriff’s special commendation certificates for his investigation into a stolen assault rifle, as well as an incident in which he and Deputy Jeffrey Kesselring had a suspect swing a bat at them and then flee on foot. The men were both able to locate the suspect and arrest him.
Deputies Jason Louwaert and Georgia Willyard received the sheriff’s special commendation certificate for investigating an incident involving stolen property, which eventually led to five individuals being arrested for drug possession.
Detective Kevin McNally was awarded the special commendation certificate for his work on a sex offender case involving two young girls. The suspect was arrested and sentenced to 20-30 years in prison.
Deputies David Ross and Michael Schmitzerle were awarded the special commendation certificate for their apprehension of a wanted felon, while deputy Sheri Will received one for an assault case.