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Got nice things to say about Officer Michael Ahnstrom?

From 1st Precinct Sector 111 Lt. Daniel Minton:

Officer Michael Ahnstrom has been named Officer of the Month again for the Richmond Police Department. This time it is for the entire city, last month was for the precinct.

HELP ME!!!!

Usually the Richmond Police Department does a short video where he talks about some of the things he has done the past month and I talk about the great work that he has done as well. This is an internal video, not a media interview. THIS IS WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP!!

I would like people from the community to say a few nice things about how much they appreciate what he has done to clean up 25th Street and sector 111 as a whole. We are thinking of doing the mini interviews on Tuesday, 7/22/2014. Please contact me to participate or call me at 240-9158 if you have any questions. If you can’t do the mini interview and just want to send a picture showing your appreciation that would be great as well! I have attached his picture but you can’t miss him. He is 6’7” and 290lbs. If you have been inspired by his work you usually don’t forget him…

Officer Michael Ahnstrom

These are just a few of the reasons he was named Officer of the Month:

Are you sitting down? Officer Michael Ahnstrom has made 3 Felony arrests, 67 Misdemeanor arrests, and served 12 warrants in the month of June. The majority of the 67 Misdemeanor arrests were for quality of life issues on the 25th Street corridor of Sector 111. The residents of Church Hill North and Union Hill spoke about their concerns regarding this area at the Sector Problem Solving Workshop and Officer Ahnstrom heard them loud and clear. The residents were tired of seeing people hanging out, drinking, and causing a general nuisance along an area that has been selected for the Better Block Initiative. He has worked hand in hand with the business and property owners along this stretch. He has gotten NO TRESPASSING Letters signed and he has enforced them with a ferocity that has made him a well-known force to be reckoned with. Being 6’7” and a lean 290 pounds certainly helped his efforts.

Don’t let the size fool you though, Officer Ahnstrom is a big teddy bear at heart. Recently he responded to a call for an 8 year old girl who had been molested. She was having a hard time coping with the reality of her situation and had run away and into traffic attempting to end her pain. She would not stop crying until Officer Ahnstrom talked to her and reassured her using a Teddy Bear that was as big as her. Officer Mike “The Teddy Bear” Ahnstrom was able to make a positive difference in her life in a true moment of need that few people ever experience.

This burning desire to help people sometimes leads him to putting out fires as well. He recently received a call to assist the fire department with a car fire. Officer Ahnstrom being “Johnny on the spot” arrived before the Fire Department. He quickly assessed that there was a minor electrical fire in the trunk of the victim’s car and was able to put it out with his fire extinguisher. His quick action minimized the damage and might even earn him an honorary junior fireman’s badge.

We have all heard the saying, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. Well 1st precinct officers like to fix things whether they are neighborhood problems or crime problems or you will even remember that Officer Robinson recently was acknowledged for fixing the backdoor to 1st precinct. This time Officer Ahnstrom saw one of his fellow officers trying to operate without the proper tools on the dreaded 1st precinct copier AKA The Church Hill WOPR (“War Games” reference). Officer Ahnstrom being a take charge officer stepped in and fixed the WOPR without causing a “Nuclear War” in the precinct. Staying with the broke/fix theme, Officer “Teddy Bear” came into contact with a gentleman with a broken ankle that was having trouble getting it fixed. Big Bear Ahnstrom made sure the man got to the hospital, helped him register, got him home after his ankle was put in a cast, and has even offered to help him get to follow up appointments. You can’t teach this level of compassion and it is rare to see. When you see it, you embrace it, acknowledge it, and reward it.

Lastly, Officer Ahnstrom attended 3 meeting for and with me this past month. He took care of the 7th District meeting and presented safety/crime prevention tips to the citizens. In addition he talked about upcoming workshop group meetings and gave information on an initiative he is doing to get homeless people services through a community resource center that is coming to the 25th Street corridor. Police Officers don’t get any better-rounded than that.

“He who does not prevent a crime when he can, encourages it.”
Seneca, mid-1st century AD

Lt. Daniel Minton
“Lt Dan”
1st Precinct Sector 111
2501 Q. Street
Richmond, VA
240-9158 (B)
646-0574 (O)
www.Twitter.com/RPDLtDan