By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org
It seems like it only takes a keystroke for a television forensic scientist to determine who left that fingerprint on the wall, but Wyoming Department of Public Safety Forensic Science Unit Technician Todd Masula knows better than that.
He has spent countless hours hours putting in latent prints, manually scanning each useable print and carefully marking as many small details with each print as he can find. The more details Masula’s can isolate, the greater the chance of making an identification.
“The computer does not find the match for Todd, but instead gives him a list of candidates that most closely match the latent he entered,” said Wyoming Department of Public Safety Lt. Tim Pols. “This means Todd may have to look at 20 or more candidates for each latent print he enters into the system.”
The number of prints Masula looked at last year alone were in the thousands. In 2019, of the 600 latent prints Masula entered into the new Automated Fingerprint System, 348 were identified to an individual. According to Pols, in the previous three years combined, 550 latent prints were entered, resulting in 281 identifications.
“It is hours of difficult, tedious, and often unnoticed work,” Pols said. “The latent work is in addition to the science work, photography, training and property management still required of Masula.”
It is this reason that the Wyoming Department of Pubic Safety group of civilian employees named Masula as the 2019 Civilian of the Year for the department.
Masula was recognized along with about 60 other Department officers, firefighters, and civilians during the annual Wyoming Department of Public Safety Employees Recognition Ceremony, which was held Feb. 20 at the Wyoming Senior Center. Pols, from police, and Lt. Chris Velzen, from fire, were the master of ceremonies.
Coming in during off hours to help prevent a suicide, returning a teenager safely to her home, noticing a suspicious car that leads to a drug arrest, or even spending countless hours logging latent prints are all part of the job for many of the officers, firefighters, and civilians who work for the department, said Chief Kim Koster.
“None of these officers seek out the accolades for doing any of this,” Koster said, adding this is a time for the department to recognize just what the team at the Wyoming Department of Public Safety does.
Once such officer is Officer Marcus Donker, who was recognized at the beginning of the hour-and-half event with the first two Individual Commendations for his work that lead to the recover of stolen vehicles. He also was recognized at the end of the program as the 2019 Officer of the Year.
“Since joining the Wyoming team, he has quietly earned a reputation as an outstanding police professional with a keen ability to catch criminals and a heart for serving his community,” Pols said during the ceremony.
Donker has been in law enforcement for 14 years coming from the Constantine Police Department three years ago to serve on the Wyoming Department of Public Safety. He has received praise and accolades across the board from his peers, Pols said.
A total of 12 awards were given out to about 60 officers, firefighters, and civilians. Those awards and recipients were:
Citation of Valor
Officer Phil Swiercz
Certificate of Merit
Sgt. Cory Walendzik
Officer Erich Staman
Officer Lee Atkinson
Achievement Medal
Officer Daniel Patterson
“Unit” Commendation
B Nights Shift
Sgt. Robert Meredith
Officer Aaron Gray
Officer Daniel Patterson
Officer Aaron Brooks
Officer Erich Staman
Officer Michael Nachtegall
Officer Chad Wells
Officer Andrew Koeller
Life Saving Award
EO Tom Marsman
EO Steven Boetsma
Inspector Brad Dornbos
Firefighter Daniel Royce
Firefighter Brandon Travis
Lt. Brad Deppe
Firefighters Matt Frazee
EO Lacey Koens
LT. Christopher Velzen
EO Brian Ilbrink
Firefighter Zachary Jones
Firefighter Daniel Rettig
Firefighter Jason Richardson
Firefighter Todd Yonkers
EO Daniel Deppe
Firefighter Jesse May
Firefighter Michele Kelly
Firefighter Matthew Young
Firefighter Jason Hanlon
Officer Ben Hecksel
Individual Commendation
Sgt. Ross Eagan
Officer Marcus Donker
Officer Daniel Patterson
Officer Daniel Sanderson
Officer Chad Wells
Officers Aaron Freeman
Officer Blair Shellenbarger
Officer Antonio Hutchins
Officer Lee Atkinson
Officer Joshua Yancho
Officer Christian Bomer
Officer Jacob Bylsma
Officer Brandon Knowling
Officer Ben Hecksel
Field Training Officer
Officer Daniel Patterson
Officer Joshua Yancho
Office Antonio Hutchins
Officer Dwayne Holmberg
Firefighter Anthony Bennett
Firefighter Jason Hanlon
Firefighter Jesse May
Firefighter Mike Updyke
Chief’s Award of Professional Excellence
Officer Jennifer Eby
Outstanding Police Administrative Service Award
Celia Rhodes
Citizen Commendation
Robert Prelewitz
Larisa McMartin
