MEDINA: Don O. leaves police force

By Miranda Vagg<br><a href="mailto:vaggm@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Miranda</a>
The Journal-Register

May 13, 2008 05:53 pm

— SHELBY — After 30 years with the Medina Police Department, Investigator Donald “Donnie O.” Organisciak said farewell to the department during the Medina Village Board meeting Monday evening.
He was presented with an award of appreciation by the Board of Trustees, complete with his badge sealed in the plaque. Many thoughtful words were spoken for the veteran officer, along with expressions of thanks to his wife, Jackie.
“After long thought and talking with my family and with the retirement people, I have decided at this time to retire from the Medina Police Department after 30 years of complete service,” Organisciak said.
He spent 16 years a a patrol officer, one year as a provisional sergeant and the past 13 years as Medina’s first full-time criminal investigator. He also has been a full-time fire investigator since 2000.
“It is with mixed emotions that I write this letter, but I feel it is the right decision for me,” he said.
While the decision to retire from the department was a difficult one for Organisciak, he said that after his years of service to the village and its residents, it is time to move on and let the younger officers carry on without him.
“Just to think, you were on the job before some of us were alive,” said Mayor Adam Tabelski, as the gallery erupted in laughter. “I believe the last retirement (from the police department) was over 10 years ago.”
Tabelski also said Organisciak took it upon himself to really define the investigator position.
Medina Police Chief Jose Avila spoke of the many times the two had traveled across the state looking for a criminal.
“I want to thank Don O. for his dedicated service to the department,” Avila said. “I also want to thank his wife.”
Other department heads and the trustees also expressed their gratitude and wished him the best in his next career. Organisciak has taken a position with the Lyndonville Central School district as its school resource officer.
“Donnie O., it’s been a pleasure and honor to work with you,” said Fire Chief Todd Zinkievich. The two men frequently shared coffee together on Sunday mornings, and Zinkievich said he enjoyed Organisciak’s stories, though he didn’t know if all of them were true.
Trustee Owen Toale has known Organisciak for the full span of his career and has also known Jackie since she was a teenager. According to Toale, Organisciak has been “a very good employee.”
“I’ve been fortunate to know Donnie since he came on the department. ... It’s difficult because it leaves a void,” Toale said of the retirement. “It’s going to take a long time to fill that void.”
In other village news:
• Medina Police officer Chad Kenward has been selected as the Orleans County American Legion Police Officer of the Year. He previously was awarded the post award from Butts-Clark Post 204. The Medina post will host the county Legion meeting Thursday, and Kenward will receive the county recognition at that time.
• A resolution was passed to levy taxes in the following amounts: General fund: $2,574,020; delinquent water rents: $11,987.71; delinquent sewer rents: $14,709.50; water service charges: $1,398.88; and property maintenance charges: $5,797.54, for a total of $2,607,913.63.
• The board’s next regular meeting has been changed because of the Memorial Day holiday. The board will meet at 7 p.m. May 27 at the Shelby Town Hall.
• The Medina Fire Department monthly run report was submitted to the board. Zinkievich said for the month of April, the department responded to 201 calls — ambulance, 135; hospital transfers, 46; service calls, 11; hazardous conditions, two; and alarms, seven. The department also had 334.5 total training hours for the month.
Contact reporter Miranda Vagg at 798-1400, ext. 2225.

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