Staff photo / Brandon CantwellOfficer Brandon McDaniels, right, listens as Howland police Chief Nick Roberts outlines McDaniels’ accomplishments in 2024 that made him worthy of the year’s Exemplary Service Award at Wednesday’s trustees meeting. McDaniels, a 2018 Kent State Police Academy graduate and Navy veteran, was sworn in as a full-time officer for the department in May 2023.
HOWLAND — Friends and family of the township’s police officers filled the back rows as the department’s police chief recognized several for their service in 2024.Police Chief Nick Roberts, a former detective who took over the position in 2017, said at Wednesday’s regular meeting he wanted to express his “deepest gratitude” to men and women in law enforcement who serve their communities with courage, commitment and honor — as they came together during National Police Week, which runs through Saturday.
“Thank you for the sacrifices you make to protect our communities, for the risks you willingly face and for the integrity with which you wear the badge; your dedication does not go unnoticed — and it is certainly never taken for granted,” Roberts said. “To all officers, past, present and especially those we’ve lost in the line of duty; we honor you, we respect you and we thank you.”
Roberts commended and presented police Sgt. Jordan Wert and officers Daniel Ebert and Brandon Littell with plaques recognizing heroic service, for their actions and “unwavering dedication” in a life-saving incident involving a juvenile in crisis on Nov. 20, 2024.
Roberts said the officers were dispatched to state Route 82 and East Market Street after Trumbull County 911 received multiple reports of a male standing on the route’s bridge, possibly preparing to jump. When they arrived, they noticed a juvenile leaning over the bridge railing in a manner “consistent with a suicide attempt.”
Roberts said Wert stopped traffic on East Market Street, while Ebert and Littell positioned their cruiser on state Route 82 to shield the juvenile from oncoming vehicles.
Ebert and Littell approached the juvenile with “compassion and composure,” talking to him and pulling him to safety. It was later determined that he was a runaway and told officers that he had a rough week and was going through a lot lately and intended to end his life.
“If not for your coordinated efforts and decisive action, this young man could have become another tragic statistic,” Roberts said. “Your courage, empathy and commitment to protecting life exemplify the highest standards of law enforcement.”
Detective Sgt. Jon Coleman and Detective Nicholas Brancaccio were commended and presented with the Investigative Excellence Award after their professionalism and expertise in a March 6, 2024, Internet Crimes Against Children CyberTip investigation led to the prosecution of Trent Addicott. Addicott was sentenced to 24 to 28 years in prison in September after being convicted on multiple charges, including child pornography, child abuse and sexual misconduct with an animal.
Roberts said Coleman and Brancaccio obtained a search warrant for Addicott’s Fairview Avenue residence through their review of the material. The warrant’s execution led to the discovery of electronic media containing evidence of the crimes.
“Detective Brancaccio’s critical testimony during the trial was instrumental in securing guilty verdicts on all counts,” Roberts said. “Addicott was convicted of four counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, two counts of pandering obscenity to minors and five misdemeanor charges of sexual misconduct with an animal.
“Your actions not only brought a child predator and animal abuser to justice but also protected a vulnerable child from enduring further trauma and abuse.”
Officer Keith Peterson was recognized for heroic service during his life-saving efforts for a gunshot victim on Jan. 1, 2024.
Officers responded to an Elm Road residence for a shooting that in the parking lot when Peterson noticed a man lying behind DiLucia’s Catering, bleeding heavily from his right leg.
Through Peterson’s swift response, using a tourniquet on the man’s upper right thigh to stop further blood loss, the man’s life was saved, Roberts said.
Officer Brandon McDaniels was selected as the recipient of the 2024 Exemplary Service award after making the most arrests among officers, issuing the highest number of citations and warnings and responding to more calls for service than any other officer.
“His tireless work ethic, coupled with his proactive and community-oriented approach to policing, has significantly enhanced public safety and strengthened the trust between our department and the community we serve,” Roberts said. “Beyond the numbers, Officer McDaniels is known for his professionalism, calm demeanor under pressure and his conduct — both on and off-duty.”
Trustee Dr. James J. LaPolla Jr. thanked the men on behalf of the trustees for their service.
“Thank you once again for recognizing these fine young men and thank you once again for what you do for all of us,” LaPolla said.
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