Left, Officer Joe Kramer at Tuesday’s Police & Fire Commission. (City-Times photo)

By Brandi Makuski

Four officers from the Stevens Point Police Department are being recognized with going above and beyond the call of duty.

The officers- Sgt. Greg Bean and Officers Joe Kramer, Aaron Yenter and Robert Roser- received their Letters of Commendation during Tuesday’s Police & Fire Commission meeting.

The four officers are being recognized for their actions after responding to a structure fire in the early morning hours of March 4 at 1900 Monroe Street. Smoke and flames were visible when the officers arrived, but officers entered the building anyway.

According to police records, Officer Yenter made contact with one individual who was awake but didn’t want to leave the building. Ultimately the man was escorted to the sidewalk, but had to be restrained to prevent him from re-entering the home.

Sgt. Bean, who was in charge that night, along with Officers Kramer and Roser encountered another resident who was still asleep.

“They nearly needed to force entry before the resident got up,” said Assistant Chief Tom Zenner. “He was hesitant on actually leaving his apartment; he went back in to get dressed. At that point, Officer Yenter had said that portion of the building was now engulfed in flames.”

Zenner said the man had to be forcibly removed from the building.

“This is the highest award at the police department,” Zenner said. “The extraordinary act of heroism to enter a burning building without the aid of protective equipment in pursuit to save human life goes above the scope expected in the line of duty per the guidelines set.”

Zenner said Roser is a new police officer and still on probationary status, with about two weeks of initial field training to complete. Roser, along with Officer Kramer completed the subsequent investigation which led to the arrest of one suspect who later admitted to starting the fire.

Though the apartment building on Monroe Street was destroyed, no injuries were reported in the blaze.

The four men will receive their awards during a formal ceremony April 21, along with a proclamation given by Mayor Andrew Halverson during the April Council Meeting. That meeting begins at 7 PM and the public is welcome