Administrative assistant wins annual Chief’s Award
By: Lea Kahn
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‘Without Mrs. Zeise, it would be very difficult to run the Police Department. I came (to the chief of police position) without a lot of administrative skills. She kept me straight.’ John Prettyman Chief of Police |
The longtime secretary to the chief of police and a police officer who collared a burglar were honored by Township Council at its Aug. 15 meeting.
The Chief’s Award was given to Police Department secretary Jeannie Zeise, who has worked for three police chiefs, by Chief of Police John Prettyman. Patrolman Joseph S. Lech IV was honored for his role in capturing a man who had committed a string of burglaries in stores and businesses last year. The annual Chief’s Award is given to a police officer who has done an outstanding job over the past year, Chief Prettyman said. But this year, the chief said he decided to break with tradition and give the award to his secretary.
"This year, I gave it to someone who has done an outstanding job for the last 10 years for me as chief – my secretary and my administrative assistant, Jeannie Zeise. Usually, it is given to a police officer, but she deserves it for putting up with me for 10 years," Chief Prettyman said.
The police chief recalled that he was a patrolman when Mrs. Zeise came to work at the Police Department 23 years ago. One day, soon after she arrived, she asked him some questions. He said he started to explain things to her, and then he stopped.
"I said, ‘You know, I don’t think you’re going to last. The last four secretaries didn’t last. The last three lasted three months apiece. You might as well give up now.’ She said she was not going to give up and she has been there ever since," the police chief said.
"Without Mrs. Zeise, it would be very difficult to run the Police Department. I came (to the chief of police position) without a lot of administrative skills. She kept me straight. She’s our sergeant that runs things and gets things done," Chief Prettyman said.
Mrs. Zeise said it has been a privilege to work in the Lawrence Township Police Department. It has been an honor to serve three police chiefs, she said. In addition to Chief Prettyman, she worked for retired chiefs of police William Seabridge and Nicholas Loveless.
Township Council honored Patrolman Lech for capturing a burglar who had committed nearly two dozen burglaries of township businesses. He apprehended the man last August.
The police officer was stationed on top of the World Wide Carpet building to conduct surveillance in the area of Brunswick Pike and Darrah Lane because of the rash of burglaries in the area, according to the proclamation prepared by Township Council.
Patrolman Lech noticed a man standing near the trees at the Lawrence Library on the corner of Brunswick Pike and Darrah Lane, staring at the Triangle Art Center, the proclamation said. The police officer climbed down from the building and confronted the man, who was found to be carrying burglar tools.
During their investigation, the police found that the man had committed 22 burglaries in businesses in the area, and he would likely have committed more if Patrolman Lech had not captured him, the proclamation read.