Officer honored for public service

Police officers clock in day after day, never knowing if their lives will be put on the line. Most officers will tell you it's a thankless job with little appreciation. \nThat's not the case for Indiana State Police Sgt. J.D. Maxwell.\nHe was named Monroe County's police officer of the year by the Fraternal Order of Police at its annual Christmas party in December.\nThe local lodge of the FOP presents the award to at least one recipients based on "performance for the previous year and whether or not they provide good service," said FOP president Brad Swain.\nMaxwell has worked with the Bloomington Police Department and the Indiana State Police for 20 years. He said he owed a part of the award to his colleagues.\n"I was, I guess, in awe," Maxwell said. "This award belongs to every police officer in this county who tries to do the best they can." \nA native of Bloomington, Maxwell spent eight years in the U.S. Air Force, then returned to his hometown to serve as a law enforcement officer. A husband and father of three, he spent the next 14 years patrolling the streets, handling 100 cases of drunken drivers in one year.\nSwain said Maxwell's aggressive approach to drunken drivers is impressive.\n"If you figure in the days an officer is actually on duty, that's about one every two to three days," Swain said.\nSwain said he remembers working with Maxwell to handle many homicide cases.\n"He was very thorough," he said. "When he handled the evidence, it was closely scrutinized." \nMaxwell said retired Bloomington police detective Jeff Barrett had a strong influence on him.\n"We worked hand in hand for five years," Maxwell said. "He taught me to never give up. When you hit a dead end, you just keep kicking and kicking, and eventually, something will come up. He's been a big drive in my life."\nCrime scenes were not the only thing Maxwell handled with care. In January 1992, he helped deliver a baby alongside Ind. 37. Because of the construction of the overpass, a couple on their way to the hospital found themselves lost as the expectant mother in the passenger seat went into labor. \nMaxwell said he found them by the road, with a relative waving for help. Understanding the urgency of the situation, he had enough time to grab a jacket and tend to the mother as she gave birth to a baby girl. An ambulance arrived on the scene five minutes later. Upon his return to the station, Maxwell was told the Louisville Police Department had called to say congratulations on their new baby. \nAnother time when Maxwell went beyond the call of duty was Jan. 22 of last year in Bloomington's Sterling Woods subdivision.\nVince and Kathy Scott found their unfinished home burned down, with the word ELF covering what was left of the house and grounds. \nELF, or Earth Liberation Front, is a group that protests suburban sprawl with terrorist tactics such as burning down buildings.\nVince Scott said he such as remembered Maxwell because of his kindness.\n"For the next two days, he was the only one who took any evidence," Scott said. "I felt that he really cared for my family."\nMaxwell's oldest daughter, Angie Maxwell, a junior, had high praise for her father's work. \n"I think it's well-deserved," she said. "He influenced me to be myself. As an officer, he taught me respect, and I respect the work he's done for the family and the community. People should be grateful, because it's people like him who make this campus safe"