The 7th Police District Advisory Council last week named Les Charlton as Police Officer of the Year for 2018 during a luncheon at Randi’s Restaurant and Bar, 1619 Grant Ave.
Charlton, who was joined by his mom Mary at the luncheon, became an officer in June 2005 and was assigned to the 7th district in June 2014.
On Feb. 8, 2018, he responded to a fire on the 1900 block of Morrell St. in Bustleton. As the fire appeared to be spreading to the house next door, he helped rescue an elderly couple and their caregiver.
For being selected, Charlton received a trophy, baskets from Wawa, Mission BBQ and Camp Bow Wow, a Texas Roadhouse gift card, Trenton Thunder and Reading Fightin Phils tickets, citations from elected officials, a Keurig from KleinLife, a $200 American Express gift card, a $250 Visa gift card from Beneficial Bank and a $100 gift card from Friends Hospital.
Each of the four lieutenants nominated an officer.
The other nominees were John Connors, who last August arrested someone trying to steal coins from a laundry machine on the 9400 block of Roosevelt Blvd. took a loaded gun away from a delusional man on the 14500 block of Bustleton Ave. and told him to check into Friends Hospital; George Marko, who in April 2018 stopped a Hyundai traveling on the 8100 block of Summerdale Ave. with no lights on and later found a naked driver with a bag of pot, Xanax and a drug-laced Rice Krispies treat; and Steve Szczepkowski, who in February 2018 arrested three juveniles who stole clothing from a shed at Gifford Playground.
Meanwhile, Frank Macrane was named Officer of the Month for April. Macrane, who works the midnight-to-8 a.m. shift, was the first officer at the scene of a hit-and-run, double-fatal accident at Bustleton Avenue and Red Lion Road. Acquaintances of the man who allegedly caused the accident removed him from his wrecked vehicle, put him in another car and drove away. Police found the suspect at Cooper University Hospital in Camden.
Macrane received a plaque, gifts and citations from elected officials.
Among those in attendance were Deputy Police Commissioners Myron Patterson and Joe Sullivan, 7th district Capt. Robert Ritchie, state Sen. John Sabatina Jr., state Rep. Kevin Boyle and aides to City Councilman Brian O’Neill, state Sen. Tina Tartaglione, state Reps. Martina White and Ed Neilson and City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart.
The 7th PDAC will meet again on Thursday, June 20, at Seven Mile Road Church, 525 Welsh Road. ••
