The 2021 Police and Fire Department Award Ceremony was held on Tuesday, May 18, at the South Milwaukee Common Council meeting.
We want to thank all our officers, firefighters, and citizens for the work they do each day to make our city safer, and we want to especially thank our award recipients for their exceptional acts.
You can read about a few of the South Milwaukee Police Department award recipients below …
Lifesaving Award: Officer Brenna Sibley
On January 28, 2021, Officer Brenna Sibley was dispatched to the 2600 Block of 5th Avenue for a report of a woman who was passed out and not breathing. Officer Sibley found the 50-year-old woman in a second floor bedroom and she was being attended to by her husband. She was pulseless so Officer Sibley placed her on the floor and began performing CPR. Seconds later, the woman, Maria Florez, began breathing on her own and South Milwaukee Fire Department personnel arrived on scene to provide additional medical care. She was then conveyed to St. Luke’s South Shore for treatment and eventually made a full recovery. Maria had a history of diabetic seizures and it is believed that may have been the cause of this incident. Officer Sibley’s quick assessment and action during a medical emergency prevented a potential loss of life and for this reason Officer Brenna Sibley is hereby presented a lifesaving award.
Merit Award: Officer Kadija Walusay and Officer Steven Streicher
On July 31, 2020, at approximately 9:00pm, several adults entered the Walgreen’s at 2985 S Chicago Avenue and stole items, physically struggling with the employees and doing damage to Walgreen’s property. Fifteen minutes later, the same group of suspects entered the Family Dollar at 1131 Marquette Ave. and used a handgun to threaten the clerk and steal merchandise. Officers Walusay and Streicher began investigating the related robberies and used technology, such as a Walgreen’s reward card, to develop possible suspects. While this investigation was a group effort, with several other officers contributing to the investigation, Officers Walusay and Streicher put many hours into the case. Utilizing surveillance video from surrounding jurisdictions and based on numerous interviews of potential suspects, Officers Walusay and Streicher were able to identify and arrest three women and one man who were responsible for a series of robberies throughout the metro area, including the incidents in South Milwaukee. The Milwaukee County DA’S Office issued felony robbery charges against the defendants and those cases are pending in circuit court. Officer Kadija Walusay and Officer Steven Streicher are to be commended for conducting a detailed investigation that resulted in the apprehension of dangerous criminals. Their diligence and perseverance brought an end to a crime spree and made our community safer.
Citizen Recognition Award: Heather Burns, South Milwaukee Walmart
A community offers many appealing features, including safety, familiarity, loyalty and support, but it is important to remember that those features don’t simply exist without effort. Those desirable qualities are the result of many individual efforts and distinct contributions to the community itself. For the past several years the South Milwaukee Walmart has made an impact on the quality of life in our community through their partnership with the police department and their generous donations to many events.
While the gifts may be too numerous to list, some notable examples are their contributions to our Community Night Out events and our annual Shop with a Cop event. In 2019, Walmart donated money to fund the fireworks for our Night Out event, supplied 6 free bicycles for the raffle and also provided several volunteers to help make the event a success. For over ten years, Walmart has supported our annual Shop with a Cop event by donating gift cards and gift baskets for the children, and providing lunch for the entire group. In 2020, Walmart also gave new bicycles to each of the children that participated in this event.
In addition to these generous donations, Walmart has provided raffle prizes to the Police Department for Evening on the Avenue and recently provided snacks and beverages for almost 200 children that participated in our 2021 bike safety events.
Throughout the years, the South Milwaukee Walmart and its manager, Heather Burns, have demonstrated a strong and steadfast commitment to the South Milwaukee Police Department and the City of South Milwaukee through its many donations and collaborations. We are grateful for their assistance and are lucky to have them as an incredibly reliable partner that helps enhance the quality of life in our community.
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