APD Employee of the Month
March 2011 Employees of the Month
The teamwork into a near east side robbery that was displayed by four Aurora Police Officers have earned them “Co-Employee of the Month” honors for March.
Officers Marco Gomez and Jason Cudebec, along with Investigators Abel Villanueva and Dan Wagner were lauded for their February 25 response to the armed robbery of a tobacco store in the 1600 block of East New York Street.
After receiving the call, Officer Cudebec checked the area for suspects and came across three suspicious individuals in the area of Coolidge and Hampshire Avenues. When they spotted the officer, two of the three suspects took off running but Cudebec was successful in detaining the third man. Cudebec advised other responding units of what occurred and upon hearing it, Officers Villanueva and Wagner spotted another suspect running through some back yards in the same general vicinity. They recovered several items stolen in the robbery once they caught the man.
Officer Gomez recognized the two suspects and knew they associated with a person who lived in the 200 Block of Parkside Avenue. Officer Gomez and Investigators Villanueva and Wagner went to the home, located the third suspect in the basement and recovered cash and other stolen items. With assistance from the Kane County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, the gun used in the robbery was also located in the back yard.
Officer Gomez has been an Aurora Police Officer since September 2005; Officer Cudebec since December, 2007; Investigator Villanueva since September, 2007; and Investigator Wagner since March, 2008.
February 2011 Employees of the Month
An Aurora Police detective who investigates child pornography cases and four officers who busted a suspect in a home invasion, have been named “Employees of the Month” for January and February at the Aurora Police Department.
Investigator Robert Myint was honored as the January “Employee of the Month” for establishing the needed resources to investigate the possession and trafficking of child pornography in Aurora. Not only did he put several months of researching and identifying the equipment and training needed to perform such investigations, but he also networked with child pornography investigators from other law enforcement agencies to gain knowledge and experience. Myint eventually enlisted the assistance from the other investigators on cases being worked by Aurora Police.
Detective Myint began his career with the Aurora Police Department in 2000.
Veteran officers Mike Nilles, Kurt Thomas and Pedro Rodriguez; along with Investigator John Munn are sharing February “Employee of the Month” honors for their December 12, 2010 efforts that led to charges against a man who broke into an occupied home on the City’s near east side.
Upon responding to the 6:55 a.m. call, Nilles, Thomas, and Rodriguez, traced footprints left in the snow by the suspect to a home located a couple of blocks from the victim. Upon investigation they arrested a man who lived there and transported him to the police department for questioning. Detective Munn interviewed the suspect and was able to secure residential burglary charges against him.
Officers Nilles and Thomas have both been with the Aurora Police since 1988, Officer Rodriguez joined the department in 1999, and Detective Munn has been on the department since 1998.
January 2011 Employee of the Month
The diligence of a third shift patrol officer has earned him “Employee of the Month” honors at the Aurora Police Department.
Officer Matt Bonnie was lauded for his actions in multiple incidents between October 14 and December 22, 2010, in which he, along with assistance from several other officers, confiscated seven guns, caught two burglars, and arrested a man in possession of a large amount of crack cocaine. In all, 12 subjects were charged with felonies.
Police Chief Greg Thomas said the actions of Officer Bonnie and those working with him have made Aurora safer.
Officer Bonnie began his Aurora Police career as a cadet in 2002 and was sworn in as an officer in 2004.
Get Your City News