Green Bay Reporter

The Green Bay Packers have honored several Wisconsin law enforcement officers with the Packers Protect & Serve Award. This recognition is given to officers who have demonstrated exceptional service beyond their regular duties.

Recipients of the award were presented with a special honor and a $2,000 grant intended to support their department or a nonprofit organization. The award ceremony included a luncheon and speeches from Mark Murphy, President/CEO of the Packers, and Melissa Wiesner, Assistant Chief of Police in Two Rivers. Family members, friends, fellow officers, and superiors accompanied many of the awardees.

This spring's honorees are Officer Devan Arbay from UW-Madison Police Department; Deputies Jaime Buelter, Jerad Landheer, and Kayla Tritt from Dodge County Sheriff's Office; Sergeant Brian Chic from West Milwaukee Police Department; Officer Connor Cunningham also from UW-Madison Police Department; State Trooper Jose I. Del Rio Aviña from Wisconsin State Patrol; Conservation Warden Zack Feest from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Deputy Sheriff - Detective Nicholas Krahn from Dane County Sheriff's Office; Crime Prevention Officer/Peer Support Coordinator Felicia Labatore from Kenosha Police Department; Deputy Justin Neumann from Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department; A/Captain Michael Sobieck from Green Bay Police Department; Officer Dustin Wichmann from Eagle River Police Department; K-9 Officer Flash and handler Officer Cole Parker from Hartford Police Department; School Resource Officer Payne Hughes from Appleton Police Department.

The awards were uniquely crafted as wooden American flags by Oneida Police Sergeant Nathan Ness through his business HomeLee Woodworking.

Funding for the Packers Protect & Serve Award comes jointly from the Packers and the NFL Foundation. Each recipient receives a $2,000 grant for their department or an associated nonprofit.

This initiative is part of Green Bay Packers Give Back, which encompasses all community outreach efforts by the team. Last year alone, these charitable activities amounted to over $13 million in contributions.