Toledo police promote 9, including K-9 officer

Dog is youngest to become a sergeant

Toledo police Sgt. Joseph Taylor, his wife Amie, and Sgt. Joker attend a ceremony in which both sergeants were promoted.

THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER
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Toledo police Sgt. Joseph Taylor, his wife Amie, and Sgt. Joker attend a ceremony in which both sergeants were promoted.

The cutest and furriest of the bunch promoted Friday laid a big wet kiss on the police chief.

“That’s the first time the chief of police has ever been kissed during a promotional ceremony,” Deputy Chief George Kral said.

He was talking about K-9 Officer Joker, who was given a set of sergeant’s stripes on Friday when his handler, Joseph Taylor, was promoted from officer to sergeant.

The 2-year-old dog is the youngest member of the Toledo Police Department to achieve the rank of sergeant.

Eight others were promoted during the ceremony in Toledo City Council chambers: promoted from lieutenant to captain were Ronald Frederick and Cheryl Hunt; promoted from sergeant to lieutenant were Jessica Meyer and Kevin Braun; and promoted from officer to sergeant were John Noonan, William Windnagle, Reuben Jurva, and Allana Whatmore.

TPD Det. Perry Waddell, left, congratulates Capt. Ron Frederick upon his promotion. Det. Waddell also offered the invocation to the event.

All of the sergeants and lieutenants will work in field operations; Captain Frederick will move to internal affairs and Captain Hunt will remain in community service.

Toledo police Officer Cherie Bryce received what she called “the best honor for the best job in the world” when she was awarded badge No. 1.

The badge signifies that she is the most senior officer in the department. She is the first female patrolman to receive badge No. 1.

Officer Bryce, 60, who previously wore badge No. 5, was hired in July, 1982. She now works out of the Northwest District Station in the traffic bureau.

Contact Taylor Dungjen at tdungjen@theblade.com, or 419-724-6054, or on Twitter @taylordungjen.