Illinois State Police Hosts Awards Ceremony

Top Officer, Top Agent, Telecommunicator, and Forensic Scientist Honored for Their Actions and Accomplishments During 2019

Illinois State Police (ISP) Director Brendan F. Kelly was joined by ISP command staff to recognize the noble contributions made by sworn and civilian members of the ISP, local law enforcement agencies, and the public. 

The Awards Ceremony was held at the ISP Academy in Springfield, and paid tribute to the acts of heroism and professionalism displayed by the men and women who were honored during the event.  Each award recipient was recognized for their exemplary service to the ISP and the citizens of Illinois.

“The extraordinary dedication and commitment to service displayed every day by these individuals, is a true representation of the motto of the ISP — Integrity, Service, and Pride,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “In the face of a global pandemic this year, just like so many in the ISP, these individuals continued to dedicate their time to service and justice. They should truly be proud of their accomplishments and their contributions in serving the citizens of Illinois.”

Among the award recipients were three individuals who received special recognition for exemplary service:  Trooper Byron Nudd, Special Agent Robert Tate, Telecommunicator Specialist Roberta Clutz, and Forensic Scientist III Robert Reneau.

Officer of the Year, Trooper Byron D. Nudd

Assigned to District 15, Trooper Byron Nudd exemplifies the tenets of the Illinois State Police – Integrity, Service, and Pride.  His work ethic, professionalism, courage, and overreaching desire to be of service to others is evident in his daily work performance.  Trooper Nudd’s unwavering dedication to serve the people of Illinois is reflected through the daily performance of his duties, his high criminal arrests and traffic enforcement record, as well as his lifesaving efforts.

Trooper Nudd’s desire to promote highway safety while patrolling not only helps provide safety for our citizens but also serves as an example to other officers.  Trooper Nudd retains a high level of activity in a wide variety of areas such as traffic enforcement and criminal law violations.  In 2019, Trooper Nudd issued 1,253 Illinois Vehicle Code citations and made 20 Driving Under the Influence arrests. Throughout the year Trooper Nudd also made 77 criminal arrests, 15 of which involved the recovery of narcotics. He also played a central role in the development of 12 criminal informants for the DuPage Metropolitan Enforcement Group, which led to additional high-profile arrests and multiple Class X Felony charges. In addition to his enforcement efforts, Trooper Nudd also provided critical support for various administrative functions within District 15, where he has single-handedly developed a Patrol Guide for District 15 Troopers. His dedication to improving processes has had a direct and positive impact on his co-workers functional understanding of their duties and of the ways that available technology can augment their success.

Trooper Nudd has also been involved in a variety of critical incidents where he consistently performed admirably, displaying a high level of professionalism and decisiveness. In 2019, Trooper Nudd responded to an ISPERN radio broadcast of a vehicle wanted in an armed robbery. Trooper Nudd located the vehicle, called for assistance, and subsequently arrested the four involved suspects. In February 2019, Trooper Nudd responded to the deadly active shooter incident at the Henry Pratt Company in Aurora, Illinois where he proudly and bravely served as a member of the Rescue Task Force. Throughout 2019, Trooper Nudd also responded to various incidents where he was called upon to administer NARCAN to five different subjects, thus saving their lives. Trooper Nudd’s desire to make a difference along with his humility, wisdom, and law enforcement experience make him a leader amongst his peers.

Agent of the Year, Special Agent Robert B. Tate

Special Agent Robert Tate, assigned to Zone 1 of the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), exemplifies the tenets of the Illinois State Police – Integrity, Service, and Pride. Special Agent Tate consistently demonstrates the ability to manage stressful and complex investigations.  He is highly regarded by his co‑workers and routinely provides invaluable assistance, direction, and guidance with their investigations. Special Agent Tate is an active and decorated member of the National Guard who served three tours in Germany, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He is an ISP instructor and has taught multiple Cadets and ISP Agents.  He also serves as an active member of the ISP Honor Guard, which further embodies his dedication, professionalism, and esprit de corps in the ISP.

In 2019, Special Agent Tate investigated numerous high-profile, violent crime cases, resulting in 15 case openings, 8 arrests of violent offenders, 186 investigative reports, 24 search warrants, 6 arrest warrants, 4 operation orders for arrests, and the seizure of 5 handguns, all of which were taken from suspects involved in expressway shootings.  Special Agent Tate has proven to be an invaluable member of the DCI. He continuously attends various trainings to remain well‑informed of the technological services that are available in the field.  This allows him to consider new and innovative ways to use technology to investigate crime.  Special Agent Tate takes it upon himself to teach fellow agents how to apply these new investigative tools and does not give up on finding new resources to further his and other agent’s cases. 

Telecommunicator of the Year, Telecommunicator Specialist Roberta Clutz Telecommunicator Roberta Clutz has proudly served the Illinois State Police (ISP) for more than 16 years as a Telecommunicator Specialist.   She began her career in 2004 at ISP District 21 and has continued her career at the Pontiac Communications Center. 

On March 7, 2019, while working the District 6 radio console and training a Telecommunicator Trainee, Ms. Clutz handled an incident that involved a multi-agency high speed pursuit after the fatal shooting of a police officer in Rockford, Illinois.  The pursuit covered 47 miles in 31 minutes encompassing county roads, a U.S. Highway, city streets, two interstates, and a nearly six-hour standoff that included 55 ISP officers as well as several local and county police agencies. Prior to entering District 6’s jurisdiction, Ms. Clutz broadcasted an ISPERN which immediately notified officers in the area, allowing them to get in position. Officers commended her for remaining calm, professional, focused, and on task for the duration of the incident. Although her shift ended several hours before the conclusion of the incident, Ms. Clutz requested permission to see it through to the end. 

This is just one incident of many in which Ms. Clutz has provided excellent dispatching skills.   Throughout the course of her career, Ms. Clutz has received numerous letters from officers as well as the public for her diligence in providing the best service possible. She uses all the resources available to her, often goes above and beyond to ensure the needs of others are met and promotes teamwork within her communications center. 

Not only is Ms. Clutz an exemplary Telecommunicator, she is also very involved in numerous charitable events including the Special Olympics Polar Plunge and the Jingle Bell Dash 5k for Arthritis, with last year being one of the largest fund raisers for the ISP team.  In addition, she also participates in raising monies for the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance Benefitting Camp which is a camp for children with burn injuries.   

Forensic Scientist of the Year, Forensic Scientist III Robert D. Reneau

Mr. Robert Reneau serves as a Forensic Scientist III in the Latent Prints Section at the Morton Forensic Science Laboratory.  Throughout his career, he has been a model of professionalism, knowledge, and innovation.  Mr. Reneau demonstrated his unwavering commitment to service in 2019 by distinguishing himself within the Forensic Sciences Command, Division of Forensic Services.

In addition to working latent print cases, Mr. Reneau demonstrated his extensive job knowledge as the statewide coordinator of the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) for latent print database searches.  He worked closely with the Bureau of Identification and the ABIS database programmers to ensure efficient searches of the latent print database.  He ensured the laboratory system’s new Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) integrated with ABIS and he helped develop standardized updated workflows in the LIMS system.  Mr. Reneau also coordinated the laboratory system’s use of the Next Generation Identification (NGI) federal latent prints database system.  By implementing new policies for search requirements, the statewide hit rate for using NGI was over 57 percent in 2019, the highest hit rate obtained to date.

In March 2019, Mr. Reneau began serving as the Latent Print Training Coordinator to ten latent print trainees.  Mr. Reneau’s technical expertise along with his approachable, easygoing nature made him an excellent choice to work with trainees.  He was instrumental in keeping the group on-track to becoming independent Forensic Scientists, leading to some of the trainees graduating from the program ahead of schedule.

Mr. Reneau has developed an excellent reputation in his field, both nationally and internationally.  In 2019, he was asked by the FBI to serve on a national task force that provided assessments of latent fingerprints, facial recognition, and electronic biometric transmission matters.  Mr. Reneau’s colleagues describe him as consistently professional, positive, and willing to help. They noted his dedication to his family and his volunteer work in local schools.  Mr. Reneau also serves the citizens of Peoria County on their county board.

2019 Award Recipients:

Medal For Valor (4)                                                  Lifesaving Medal (Cont’d):

Special Agent Jeffery A. Graham (2)Trooper Anthony Andreoni

Trooper Kyle M. Seger                                               Sergeant Derek M. Cullen

Trooper Ryan C. Propst                                              Trooper Daniel L. Ramey

                                                                                    Trooper Blake A. Harsy

Medal For Honor (6)                                                Trooper Adam C. Zimmerman

Master Sergeant Brian GrayTrooper Jonathan C. Pflaum

Sergeant Bret A. Burris                                               Trooper Samual D. Gronek

Sergeant Derek M. Cullen                                                                 

Sergeant Travis W. Heck                                            Meritorious Service Medal (3)                    

Sergeant Kyle J. Rensing                                            Lieutenant Brian W. Dickmann         

Trooper Tyler S. Earnest                                            Master Sergeant Brian L. Wood

                                                                                    Sergeant Nick M. Homann

Purple Heart (7)

Christopher J. Lambert                                                                                  

Trooper Kyle M. Seger                                               Director’s Award of Distinction (11)                                                                                 

Trooper Alex N. Womack                                          Trooper Officer Michael Hall

Trooper Brooke Jones-Story                                       Jeff Waggener Tina Tanalgo

Trooper Gerald W. Ellis                                              Tim Brown

Trooper Nicholas J. Hopkins                                     Susan Gowinwoelfel

Special Agent Joshua P. Meyer                                  Brian Pina

                                                                                    David Ritter

Lifesaving Medal (30)                                               Bernadette Coughlin

FDD Matthew J. Davis                                               Daniel Flores-Martinez

Sergeant Bret A. BurrisAshley Juby

Sergeant Shawn Carter                                               Johnathan Grosvenor

Sergeant Jeremy M. Carnes                                       

Sergeant Joseph K. Fahs                                                        

Sergeant Travis W. Heck                                                       

Sergeant Edwin D. Shamblin                                                 

Special Agent Jeremy Shippert                                                         

Trooper Julian Q. Eison                                                         

Trooper David Roman Jr.                                                      

Trooper James A. Pearce                                                        

Trooper Keith W. Gray                                              

Sergeant Tyrone D. White (2)

Trooper Andrew L. Dykstra                                                  

Trooper DeAnn M. Falat                                                       

Trooper Genelle C. Jones                                                      

Trooper Miguel N. Vega

Trooper Eric Nieves                                                               

Trooper Nicholas J. Pagano

Trooper Darrell A. Gant                                                         

Trooper Christian E. Kohnen

Trooper Eric S. Cowan

***Report Courtesy of the Illinois State Police***