Top Officer and Firefighter of the Year

The Top Officer and Top Firefighter for 2023 were honored at the Blue Ash City Council meeting on November 9.

Detective Jeff Lewis was named Officer of the Year and John Anderson was named Firefighter of the Year.

The awards are presented annually by American Legion Post 630's Jim Meyers to first responders nominated by their respective departments. Each recipient receives a plaque. Their names are also placed on a perpetuity award in Council Chambers.

Here are just a few of Detective Lewis’s accomplishments:

• Received a Commendation letter from Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Steven Martin and Cincinnati Police Department Assistant Chief Michael John for outstanding case preparation and successful prosecution for the homicide of a Blue Ash resident.
• Received an award from Ohio State House of Representative Jessica Miranda for a joint investigation and arrest of fourteen suspects involved in widespread human trafficking.
• Received an Award from the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge# 69 for the joint investigation involving multiple local and federal agencies for the arrest and federal prosecution of two suspects involved in a homicide and multiple armed robberies.
• Received an award from the Cincinnati Citizens Police Association for the investigation and successful prosecution of the well-publicized thefts of checks from United States Post Office mailboxes.

Here are a few of Firefighter/EMT John Anderson’s accolades:

• In addition to his role as a firefighter/paramedic, John often operates in the role of a crew leader in the absence of his officer. This position allows John to display his strong leadership qualities amongst his peers.
• Over the years, John has earned a reputation as a lifelong learner, as he places great emphasis on improving his career knowledge.
• John attends multiple fire trainings per year to assist him in career development and is willing to accept coaching from anyone willing to teach.
• On top of being a firefighter and paramedic for Blue Ash, John holds the certification of Fire Instructor and Live Fire Instructor for the department.