Aurora Cop Named Kane Peace Officer of the Year

Aurora Police Officer Matthew Bonnie was named the recipient of the Louis Spuhler Award for the Kane County Police Officer of the Year during a banquet Thursday night at .

The Kane County Chiefs of Police Association and the Batavia Moose Lodge 682 hosted the 36th annual Kane County Police Officer of the Year banquet, according to an association release. There was a lengthy list of nominees, including several from the Tri-Cities area, for the prestigious award. Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen was the featured speaker.

Officer Bonnie received a standing ovation as he received his award, which recognized him for his efforts on June 8, 2012.

According to the release, Officer Bonnie was off duty and driving on Minkler Road in Oswego when he came across a crash where the vehicle had run off the road and was on fire. The release states that Bonnie immediately stopped to render aid, pulling the driver out of his burning vehicle through the back passenger-side door.

The driver was transported to Rush-Copley Hospital for treatment of his injuries and is expected to make a full recovery, the association’s release states. The driver said there were several others who failed in attempts to get him out through the front door before Bonnie arrived. The driver had left a message for the officer, thanking Bonnie for saving his life and calling him a hero. He also expressed gratitude that there are other officers like Bonnie who are willing to put themselves at risk to save another person.

In the nomination letter submitted to the Batavia Moose Lodge 682, Aurora Police Chief Greg Thomas noted that Officer Bonnie did not even tell anyone at the Aurora Police Department about the incident after it happened.

The Louis Spuhler Award is given out every year for the top officer of the year and is named after retired Kane County sheriff’s Lt. Lou Spuhler , who in 1975 approached the Batavia Moose with the idea of joining with the Kane County Chiefs of Police Association to recognize outstanding law enforcement work in Kane County. Lt. Spuhler passed away before his idea was implemented but the award continues in his honor.

The award is bestowed on officers for outstanding performance, acts of valor, display of exceptional courage, humanitarian efforts, and outstanding examples of good law enforcement.

Other nominees, which included several joint nominations, this year included:

• Algonquin Sgt. Andrew Doles.
• Aurora police investigators Darrell Moore and John Munn (jointly nominated).
• Batavia police Sgt. Shawn Mazza and Officers Justin Howe and Mark Kowalewski (jointly nominated).
• Elgin Detective Ray Bennett.
• Kane County Forest Preserve Officer Ron Smith.
• Kane County Forest Preserve Officer Harold Carter.
• Kane County sheriff’s Deputy Mike Wilgosiewicz.
• Montgomery Sgt. Elizabeth Palko and Officers William Novak, Luis Villa, Ryder Kern and Jacob Niete (jointly nominated).
• North Aurora Officer Mark Shillair.
• South Elgin Sgt. Craig Steurer.

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