Maryland State Police Explorer Post 56 of Westminster named 2nd Lt. Michael Denny as Explorer of the Year for 1996 at a banquet Wednesday.
Denny, 17, of Westminster and a Westminster High School junior, has been in the Explorer post since February 1995.
During 1996, he earned commendations for law enforcement training and service, emergency preparedness, tenure, perfect attendance and drug abuse prevention, and was elected to 2nd lieutenant.
He also was elected the post's administrative vice president for 1997.
Denny has the highest Explorer post graduation requirement hours for the state, with 3,787 hours of service.
Other post officers are: Kathleen Schwartz, president; Joshua Kibler, program vice president; and Ryan Gist, secretary. Advisers are Mary Gobrecht and John Witter.
The Explorer post is a youth auxiliary to the state police. Other Explorers and the commendations they earned are:
Kenneth Carlisle: law enforcement training and service, crime prevention, drug abuse prevention, promoted to corporal.
Brian Dietz: emergency preparedness, tenure, 60 hours of community service, promoted to Explorer 1st class.
Ryan Gist: law enforcement training and service, community service, crime prevention, drug abuse prevention, tenure, elected to sergeant.
John Hawk Jr.: community service, crime prevention, law enforcement service, emergency preparedness, tenure, drug abuse prevention.
Josh Kibler: emergency preparedness, community service, tenure, elected to 2nd lieutenant.
Victoria Lehmann: 65 hours of community service, rank of Explorer.
Scott Livesay: community service, rank of Explorer.
Jay Parrish: tenure, emergency preparedness, drug abuse prevention, 79 hours of community service, promoted to Explorer 1st class.
Chad Pickett: 12 hours of community service, rank of Explorer.
Caitlin Rauschenburg: 89 hours of community service, rank of Explorer.
Kathleen Schwartz: law enforcement training and service, community service, crime prevention, tenure, emergency preparedness, perfect attendance, drug abuse prevention, elected to 1st Lieutenant.
Brad Utz: 68 hours of community service, rank of Explorer.
Eric Wilder: law enforcement training, community service, emergency preparedness, promoted to Explorer 1st Class.
Tim Zendgraft: rank of Explorer.
The Explorers also presented awards of appreciation and dedication to the adults who worked with them through the year. They included: Explorer post founder James Emerick, Lt. Larry E. Faries, Trooper David Hoff, Jerry Immler, Mark Kibler, Mike Knight, Marge Libertini, Cpl. J. W. Long, 1st Sgt. Charles Mays and 1st Sgt. Robert Windsor.
Pub Date: 1/26/97
