TERRE HAUTE —
So much of the nitty-gritty — and yes, danger — of police work occurs well out of sight of the citizens and property public safety officers are sworn to protect. Such is the nature of the job.
No community ever intends to take its police force for granted, but the better a police force performs, it seems, the more likely it is to remain in the background, going about its difficult business without much fanfare.
That’s why it is important periodically to honor the individuals who have demonstrated skill, courage and professionalism in their work as police officers.
Thanks to Terre Haute’s First Financial Bank, a venue for honoring the exemplary work of city police officers is provided each year at the Officers Recognition and Commendation Dinner.
During this special event, individuals and groups of officers are cited for their achievements.
The event took place this year on Monday in the Hulman Memorial Student Union building on the campus of Indiana State University. Honors and citations were given in a number of areas, including awards for life saving, honorable service, police achievement, civilian service and meritorious service.
The top award, for 2008 Police Officer of the Year, went to Det. Michael Mikuly for “dedication to duty.” The honor was richly deserved. Among his many achievements during the year, Mikuly was cited for work that led to charges being filed in a homicide case, even though the victim’s body had not been found — a rare feat in criminal investigations.
We applaud First Financial Bank for sponsoring the dinner again, and we commend Det. Mikuly and the rest of the officers honored. The community is rightfully proud of the work they do.
No tolerance for park vandals
The skate park at Voorhees Park is a source of pride in Terre Haute. The many who use it frequently have shown just how valuable a resource it is. So it’s understandable that so many people are fuming about the recent graffiti vandalism that marred the skating surface. It’s unfathomable that there are those among us who would treat such a terrific facility with disrespect and show such disregard for the law.
Police are investigating aggressively. We hope they’re able to bring any culprits to justice.








