Martin named 2007 'Officer of the Year'

Amherst Bee Managing Editor David Sherman, second from left, presents the 2007 "Officer of the Year" award to Tracy Martin. Edward Guzdek Jr., right, received the runner-up award. At left is Amherst Police Chief John Askey. Photos by John Rusac Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

Apprehending a young Buffalo gang member carrying a stolen, concealed weapon earned Amherst police Officer Tracy Martin the 2007 Amherst Bee "Officer of the Year" award.

First presented in 1957, the award recognizes members of the department who epitomize the best in law enforcement.

The awards were presented Saturday evening at the Amherst Police Club's annual installation dinner at the Classics V banquet and conference center.

The incident for which Martin was recognized took place late on the afternoon of May 5, 2007. Martin observed a suspicious male teen on foot who appeared to be attempting to conceal something in the waistband of his pants.

The suspect stopped abruptly, acting as if something had fallen down his pant leg. Martin called for backup and eventually approached the youth.

Honored Saturday night by the Amherst Police Club were, second from left, Geoff Goodwin, William F. Muck II honorable mention award; Todd Homberger, Robert Stephens Jr. and Jeffrey Gilbert, William F. Muck II award. They are flanked by John Askey, left, chief of the department, and Edward Guzdek Jr., Police Club president.

During the interview, the suspect admitted he had a loaded, sawed-off rifle in his pants. Martin grabbed the rifle and took the suspect into custody without incident.

A check of the weapon's serial number revealed the rifle had been stolen recently in Buffalo. Further investigation showed that the suspect was a member of a Buffalo street gang known as the "Pratt Money Boyz."

"Due to Officer Martin's observations and quick, decisive action, she was able to control a dangerous situation and recover a stolen weapon," read the citation.

Receiving the "Officer of the Year" runner-up award was Detective Edward Guzdek Jr.

Last fall, several pizza deliverymen were lured to empty duplex apartments by persons making false orders. The men were subsequently robbed by two suspects.

Det. Lt. Richard S. Walter received the 2007 Donald G. Wright Sr. Memorial Award.

Guzdek was assigned to the cases, following up on tips and information he received. Through these efforts, he developed a pair of suspects in the case.

Working with the district attorney's office, Guzdek was able to build a strong enough case to make an arrest.

"Detective Guzdek's ability to genuinely win the confidence of witnesses, suspects and neighborhood residents made the difference in this case and are a credit to his professionalism as a police officer," according to the citation.

Three Amherst police officers shared the William F. Muck II Award for their role in the apprehension of three robbery suspects. The award is named for the late son of the owner of the former Muck Motors in Getzville.

A hang-up 911 call was received on Dec. 22, 2006 from the Boulevard Credit Union. When dispatchers called back, an employee reported that the facility was being robbed by two armed gunmen.

Officer Jeffrey Gilbert arrived at the credit union within one minute of dispatch and checked the area for a possible getaway car, prior to taking up position behind the building. During this check, Gilbert observed a vehicle making a U-turn at Wayne and Irwin, stopped the vehicle at gunpoint, and held the suspect until other officers could assist in the arrest.

At the same time, the two suspects inside the credit union fled on foot through a wooded area behind the building. Officers Todd Homberger and Robert Stephens Jr. were in the same area and located a man running through the woods armed with a loaded handgun. He was ordered to stop and drop his gun. After a foot chase, the suspect finally dropped his weapon and surrendered. The third suspect was caught a short time later.

The nearly $90,000 the suspects stole was located in a nearby yard after a grid search of the area.

The William F. Muck II honorable mention award was presented to Detective Geoff Goodwin for his work leading to the arrest of several individuals involved in a national crime ring and the recovery of thousands of dollars worth of stolen merchandise.

In September 2006, Goodwin was reviewing information shared with other police agencies when he noticed that Cheektowaga police had recovered a large industrial compressor but had no information regarding a victim. He realized another detective was working on a case involving the theft of a similar compressor from Amherst, and he contacted Cheektowaga.

The party in possession of the unit was charged by Cheektowaga police and as part of the investigation, it was learned the suspect had several eBay accounts on which construction equipment was being sold.

Working with Cheektowaga and other agencies, Goodwin assisted in obtaining a subpoena for the suspect's eBay accounts. Although interest by other departments and the district attorney's office waned, Goodwin continued to review the Internet accounts and identified more than 15 pieces of construction equipment which had been sold or offered for sale on eBay.

Most of the items were sold out of state, so Goodwin contacted the U.S. Attorney General's Office for assistance in compiling evidence in the case.

As the investigation grew, Goodwin discovered the suspects were cashing Social Security checks issued to a family member who died in January 2006.

Ultimately, the investigation led to the recovery of construction equipment in 10 states as well as Canada and Mexico. The total value of the property was approximately $100,000.

Six suspects have been identified and face possible indictments by the U.S. attorney general in connection with the stolen property ring. A second investigation relating to the illegally cashed Social Security checks is continuing with the Erie County District Attorney's Office.

Detective Lt. Richard S. Walter received the 2007 Donald G. Wright Sr. Memorial Award. The award was created by the late officer's wife following his death in 1981. He had a 30-year career with the department.

Walter was hired by the Amherst Police Department in 1985 and served as a patrolman until promoted to lieutenant nine years later. He also served on the evidence team. In 1997, he was promoted to detective lieutenant.