Seventeen members of the Cincinnati Police Department will be promoted in a ceremony at 11:00 a.m. Thursday January 17 at the Duke Energy Center, 525 Elm Street. Chief Thomas H. Streicher, Jr. will preside and administer the oath of office to the following one Lieutenant, thirteen Sergeants and three Specialists:
Lieutenant Marilee Neudigate is a graduate of Aiken High School. She entered the Police Academy’s 74th Recruit Class in October 1990. Upon graduation in March 1991, she was assigned to patrol in District One. She has also served in Districts Two, Three and Four; in the Vice Section; and in the Special Events Unit. Her husband, Lieutenant Paul Neudigate, is a supervisor in the Department’s Vortex Unit, and one of her two daughters is Officer Alaina Weber, who works in District Four. Lieutenant Neudigate’s supervisors have praised her as a tireless worker with impressive organizational skills and ability to multitask. The Lieutenants Neudigate reside in Anderson Township.
Sergeant Terry Dukes is a graduate of Aiken High School, and he studied criminal justice at the University of Cincinnati. In July 1998 he entered the Police Academy’s 86th Recruit Class. His first assignment upon graduation was on patrol in District Two, where he later worked in the Violent Crimes Squad. From 2004 up to the present, he has served in the Vice Section. His supervisors there note that Sergeant Dukes has been a meticulous investigator who does excellent work in covert operations. He is the father of one son, and he lives in Colerain Township.
Sergeant Frank Beavers is a graduate of Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio, and he earned an associate degree in law enforcement at Owens College in Toledo. He served six years with the United States Army Reserve as a Military Police officer. In January 1999 he entered the Police Academy’s 87th Recruit Class. Upon graduation he was assigned to patrol in District Two. For the past three years he has served in the Mounted Patrol Squad, working in the Findlay Market area, in the central business district, and at numerous special events with his equine partner Jackson. Sergeant Beavers’ uncle recently retired after a career with the Baltimore Police Department. His brother is an officer with the Bowling Green University Police Department, and his brother-in-law serves with the Norwood Police Department. Sergeant Beavers and his wife live in Anderson Township. They have one child and await the arrival of their second child in the summer.
Sergeant Salvatore Tufano is a graduate of Springstead High School in Spring Hill, Florida. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at the University of Florida. In February 1993 he entered the Police Academy’s 77th Recruit Class. His first assignment upon graduation was on patrol in District Two, where he later served as a neighborhood officer and as an investigator. He has also served in the Planning Section. Since 2004 he has worked in the Criminal Investigation Section’s Homicide Unit, most recently on the Cold Case Squad. Sergeant Tufano received the Rotary Club of Cincinnati’s Career Enhancement Award in 1996. Relatives in law enforcement include his uncle, who retired after a career with the Nassau County, New York, Police Department, and his cousin who currently serves as a corporal with the Pasco County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office. Sergeant Tufano lives in Anderson Township with his wife and their four children.
Sergeant Michael Machenheimer is a graduate of McNicholas High School, and he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Northern Kentucky University. In January 1998 he entered the 85th Recruit Class at the Police Academy. Upon graduation he was assigned to patrol in District Two, where he later worked as a neighborhood officer. Since July 2006 he has served in the Planning Section. Sergeant Machenheimer lives in Mount Washington with his wife and their two daughters. His leisure pursuits include playing soccer in the Cincinnati Recreation Commission league and coaching his daughters’ soccer teams.
Sergeant Robert Harold is a graduate of Charleston High School in Charleston, Mississippi, and he continued his studies in criminal justice at Jackson State University and Kentucky State University. He is a veteran of twenty years’ service in the United States Army. He previously worked as a corrections officer in Mississippi and Kentucky, and was awarded the Ammie B. Kendal Medal of Valor by the Mississippi Department of Corrections. In June 1992 he entered the Police Academy’s 76th Recruit Class. His first assignment upon graduation was on patrol in District Three. He later transferred to District Five, where he has worked in the Investigative Unit since 1999. Sergeant Harold’s father is Chief of Police in Bellmeade, Texas. He and is wife are the parents of three children, and they live in Colerain Township.
Sergeant Michelle Bradley is a graduate of Titusville High School in Titusville, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio, graduating magna cum laude. She continued her education in criminal justice with a master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati. In August 2002 she entered the Police Academy’s 93rd Recruit Class, where she was named class valedictorian at graduation. Her first assignment was on patrol in District Five. She has continued to serve in District Five up to the present, having moved from patrol to the Violent Crimes Squad in May 2006. Sergeant Bradley volunteers with the Project Linus to make blankets for children who are hospitalized or have been victims of fire, accidents or crime. Sergeant Bradley is a resident of Green Township.
Sergeant Jason Rees is a graduate of Loveland High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science and Asian studies at the University of Cincinnati. He served nearly four years with the United States Secret Service before entering the Police Academy's 96th Recruit Class in March 2004. Since graduation in August of that year, he has been assigned to patrol in District One. The tradition of serving with the Cincinnati Police Department goes back generations in Sergeant Rees' family. His paternal great uncle George W. Rees served thirty years as a patrolman and retired in 1966. His maternal great uncle Patrolman John P. Currin was shot in the line of duty and retired in 1931. His father is retired Cincinnati Captain and current Loveland Police Chief Dennis Rees. His cousin Officer Michael Rees works in the Planning Section. Sergeant Rees is the recipient of the Hamilton County Police Association's Robert Hovater Award of Valor, which will be presented to him this evening at the H.C.P.A. banquet at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Blue Ash. Sergeant Rees resides in Anderson Township.
Sergeant George Pille is a graduate of Aiken High School. He earned an associate degree in law enforcement at the University of Cincinnati and completed the Cincinnati Police Department's cadet program in October 1976. His first assignment as a police officer was in District One. He has also served on patrol in Districts Three and Five; with the Violent Crimes Squad of District Five; in the Vice Section; and in the Traffic Unit. Since October 2006 he has been a member of the Vortex Unit. Sergeant Pille's father, the late George C. Pille, Sr., served with this department from 1954 until his retirement in 1978. His brother-in-law is retired Captain Michael Bolte, and his nephews are Specialist Jason Bolte and Officer Brian Bolte, who both work in the Vortex Unit. Sergeant Pille and his wife are the parents of three grown children and grandparents of two boys. They live in Harrison.
Sergeant Kathryn Horn is a graduate of Mother of Mercy High School. She earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Cincinnati. In April 1995 she became a member of the Police Academy's 80th Recruit Class. Her first assignment upon graduation was on patrol in District Five. She has also served in Districts Two and Three. During the four years she worked in Community Oriented Policing in District Two, her supervisors noted Sergeant Horn's exceptional ability to seek innovative solutions when addressing community issues and problems. She received the Hamilton County Law Enforcement Community's Police Appreciation and Achievement Award in 2007 for her work with the children in District Two. The American Legion Mount Washington Post 484 presented her with their Law and Order Award in May 2007 in recognition of her dedication and service to the community. Sergeant Horn is a resident of Delhi.
Sergeant Robert McDonough III is a graduate of Goshen High School in Goshen, Ohio, and he earned an associate degree at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. He served six years with the United States Air Force, with postings in Washington State, Guam, and at the Wright Patterson base in Ohio. His duties in the Air Force included law enforcement, customs inspection, and canine handling with detection and patrol dogs. In July 1998 he entered the Police Academy's 86th Recruit Class. Since graduation in October 1998 he has served in District Five, where his supervisors note that he is always willing to assist fellow officers and works well with the community to apply problem solving techniques. He lives in Montgomery with his wife and their three children.
Sergeant Cassandra Tucker is a graduate of Samson High School in Samson, Alabama. She continued her studies in communications and criminal justice at Jacksonville State University and at the University of Cincinnati's Raymond Walters College. In January 2000 she entered the Police Academy's 89th Recruit Class, and she was the first African American woman to be elected class president. Upon graduation she was assigned to patrol in District Two, where she served for six years. Since 2006 she has served in the Department's Recruiting Unit, where her supervisors note the zeal she brings to her work and the leadership she demonstrates in recruiting efforts and projects. Sergeant Tucker and her husband are the parents of one daughter. They make their home in Silverton.
Sergeant Patrick Caton is a graduate of Brother Rice High School in Birmingham, Michigan. He earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Cincinnati. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps who served in Haiti, Bosnia, Guantanamo Bay, and Saudi Arabia. In January 1997 he entered the Police Academy's 83rd Recruit Class. His first assignment upon graduation was on patrol in District Four. He has also served in District One and in the Evidence/Property Management Section. His current assignment is in District Two. Sergeant Caton and his wife make their home in Cincinnati.
Sergeant Maurice Robinson is a graduate of Covington's Holmes High School. He earned a bachelor's degree at Northern Kentucky University. Prior to beginning his career in law enforcement, he worked for fifteen years in the computer and telecommunications industry. In August 2002 he entered the Police Academy's 93rd Recruit Class. His first assignment upon graduation was on patrol in District One. After three years he was transferred to District Five. Since 2006 he has served in the Investigative Unit of District One. Sergeant Robinson has taught classes in tactical communications and victims' rights at the Police Academy. He is a resident of Roselawn.
Police Specialist Diana Cloud is a graduate of Louisville High School in Louisville, Ohio. She earned a bachelor's degree at the Ohio State University. She is a veteran with twenty years' military service -- three years of active duty with the United States Army, and seventeen years with the Ohio National Guard. In November 1993 she entered the Police Academy's 78th Recruit Class; she was valedictorian of the class. Upon graduation, her first assignment was on patrol in District One. She has also served in District Three and with the Mounted Patrol Squad. Her present assignment is in District Two. Specialist Cloud's husband is retired Cincinnati Officer Dennis Cloud; one of her grandfathers also made his career in law enforcement in northern Ohio. Specialist Cloud and her husband have two sons. They live in Anderson Township.
Police Specialist Stephen Lawson is a graduate of Roger Bacon High School. He earned an associate degree in criminal justice at the University of Cincinnati and is currently pursuing studies toward a bachelor's degree at Xavier University. In January 1999 he entered the 87th Recruit Class at the Police Academy. Upon graduation, his first assignment was on patrol in District Two. In 2002 he was transferred to the Violent Crimes Squad of District Two. Since 2003 he has been a member of the joint city-county Regional Narcotics Unit. Two of his cousins have also made their careers with the Cincinnati Police Department: Officer Ron Miller retired last year, and Sergeant Michael Miller currently serves in District One. Specialist Lawson is a resident of Mount Lookout.
Police Specialist Kristie Johnson is a graduate of Stebbins High School in Dayton, Ohio. She earned a bachelor's degree at Wright State University. In January 1997 she entered the 83rd Recruit Class at the Police Academy. Upon graduation, her first assignment was on patrol in District Five. She later worked as a bike patrol officer, and then as a member of the Violent Crimes Squad in District Five. Her current assignment is in the Evidence/Property Management Section. Specialist Johnson lives in Reading.
