Awards Ceremony Honors CPD Officers and Employees
Published on January 30, 2026
On Wednesday, January 28, numerous Cheyenne Police Officers and professional staff members were awarded for exceptional performance in their duties. The annual award ceremony was held at the Public Safety Center with city officials, members of the department, and families in attendance.
Awards were presented in 12 categories to over 50 employees, including Officer of the Year, Specialty Officer of the Year, Civilian of the Year, and Volunteer of the Year.
“This awards ceremony is about the men and women of the Cheyenne Police Department who show up each day, often under difficult circumstances, and work to protect the people who live in and visit our city,” said Chief Mark Francisco. “It gives us the opportunity to step back from the day-to-day work and acknowledge the people and efforts that move our organization forward.”
Heroic stories were highlighted during the event - from recovering abducted children to safely resolving violent assaults, shots fired calls, and domestic violence incidents. Attendees heard how officers worked together under pressure to gather information and use specialized resources to take dangerous suspects into custody. The stories also recognized the behind-the-scenes work that makes these outcomes possible, including detailed crime scene processing, evidence collection, follow-up investigations, and proactive efforts that prevent future incidents.
“As I stand here and listen to everything that happened today, I just want to tell you how proud I am, as Mayor of Cheyenne and how grateful I am just as a member of our community, to be protected and taken care of by such an amazing group,” said Mayor Patrick Collins.
Chief Francisco presented the Chief’s Award to Lynn Sherman, who has served the police department for over 37 years. As a central part of the department’s daily operations, Sherman provides administrative and logistical support that allows both sworn and civilian staff to perform their duties efficiently.
Officer Jayson Tretter was selected as the Officer of the Year for his high level of performance and dependable leadership throughout 2025. He is regularly involved in proactive enforcement and investigations, and his work as a Field Training Officer supports the development of new officers. His reliability and professionalism were key reasons he was chosen for this recognition.
Detective Josh Hedum was recognized as the Specialty Officer of the Year for his consistent, high-quality investigative work. In 2025, he handled a wide range of felony cases and demonstrated strong attention to detail and professionalism throughout each investigation. His efforts helped bring resolution to complex cases and provided reliable support to both victims and fellow officers.
The Civilian of the Year Award was presented to Jennifer Pursley, a new member of the Records Division. Since joining the department, Pursley quickly became a top performer, consistently taking the initiative to assist coworkers and help maintain smooth operations during high-demand periods.
Nancy Cruff was recognized as the Volunteer of the Year for her leadership in the Citizens on Patrol program. Cruff contributed more than 1,600 hours of volunteer time in 2025, consistently stepping up to support department operations and events.
Meritorious Service awards were presented to Officer Sean Cigich, Officer Lisa Koeppel, Officer Mathew Mikesell, Officer Noah Rodgers, Officer James Womack, MSO Zachary Sage, Amy Dillon, Jamie Moffett, and Jennell Webster for their exemplary performance.
Additionally, officers were awarded firearms proficiency, with the Top Shot going to Officer Brendan Tait. Physical fitness awards were given to 28 members who scored above 75% on PT tests.
2025 CHEYENNE POLICE DEPARTMENT AWARDS
Officer of the Year – Officer Jayson Tretter
Specialty Officer of the Year – Detective Josh Hedum
Civilian of the Year – Jennifer Pursley
Volunteer of the Year – Nancy Cruff
Chief’s Award – Lynn Sherman
Meritorious Service Awards – Officer Sean Cigich, Officer Lisa Koeppel, Officer Mathew Mikesell, Officer Noah Rodgers, Officer James Womack, MSO Zachary Sage, Amy Dillon, Jamie Moffett, Jennell Webster
Unit Citation - Lieutenant Adam DeBall, Officer Marcus Hairston-Payton, Officer Jakob Jones, Officer Nathan Marshall, Officer Mathew Mikesell, Officer Alyssa Muzquiz, Officer Talmage Peden, Officer Emily Taraski, Officer Matthew Spradley
Unit Citation - Officer Brian Ahearn, Officer Jeremiah Keslar, Officer Dominic LaPorta, Officer Shane Noonan, Officer Timothy Painter, Officer Eric Smale, Officer Jayson Tretter
Unit Citation – Officer Corrin Campbell, Officer David Inman, Officer Lisa Koeppel, Officer Nathanial Lucero, Officer James McClaskey, Sgt. Robert Peete, Officer Joseph Rodriquez, Officer Benjamin Vapenik, Officer James Womack, Officer Robert Wingeleth, Officer Brian Wiltjer
Unit Citation - Officer Brian Ahearn, Lieutenant Adam DeBall, Deputy Andrew Kidd, Officer Dominic LaPorta, Officer Timothy Painter, Officer Kilian Sweet
Unit Citation - Officer Corrin Campbell, Officer Mark Ehlman, Officer Reece Federer, Detective Caressa Marino, Officer Cole Tompkins, Officer Benjamin Vapenik, Officer Robert Wingeleth
Unit Citation - Officer Mariah Bolkovatz, Officer Lucas Bray, Officer Colin Brengman, Officer Kacey Fuller, Officer Talmage Peden, Officer Kilian Sweet, Officer Daniel vanSwearingen
Unit Citation - Officer Cameron Artzer, Officer Lucas Bray, Officer Colin Brengman, Officer Ethan Cox, Officer Colten Frost, Officer Talmage Peden, Officer Jakob Jones, Officer Marcus Hairston-Payton
Unit Citation - CSO Leydy Peden, CSO Sabryna Schaffer
Commendation Awards – Officer Mariah Bolkovatz, Officer Jayson Tretter
Longevity Awards – Officer Craig Stalo (10 years/Bomb Squad), Officer James Womack (5 years/Bomb Squad), Officer Brockton Hayden (5 Years/SWAT)
Top Shot – Officer Brendan Tait
Marksmanship Awards – Officer Lucas Bray, Sergeant Kevin Malatesta, Officer Timothy Painter, Officer Talmage Peden, Officer Cole Tompkins, SRO Micah Veniegas, Officer Daniel vanSwearingen, Officer Nathanial Lucero
Physical Fitness Awards - Officer Zac Bentley, Officer Sean Cigich, Officer Ethan Cox, SRO Mike Fernandez, Officer Marcus Hairston-Payton, Officer Brockton Hayden, Officer Jesse Horne, Officer David Inman, Officer Ian Lohnes, Officer Nathanial Lucero, Officer James McClaskey, Officer Reece Federer, Officer Kaitlin Federer, Officer Mike Nelson, Officer Shane Noonan, Officer Timothy Painter, Officer Noah Rodgers, Officer Joseph Rodriquez, Officer Matthew Ryan, Officer Craig Sanne, Officer Jonathan Suarez, Officer Brendan Tait, Officer Daniel vanSwearingen, Officer Micah Veniegas, Officer Ty Volin, Officer Shaun Watkins, Officer Travis Wright, Officer Justin Young