Crime & Safety

Waukesha Optimist Club Honors Local Law Enforcement

Jason Trimborn is awarded Officer of the Year, Chad Niles is awarded Deputy of the Year and Erin Billeb is awarded Correctional Officer of the Year.

Waukesha Police Officer Jason Trimborn says he did what any other officer would have done when he was dispatched to a medical emergency for a 36-year-old man who was

Responding to the call before the medical personnel arrived on scene, Trimborn started CPR on the man, helping to save his life.

“Situations like this, so much of what we do is react. … It was just me reacting to the situation,” Trimborn said. “The fact that it turned out the way it did is a testament to the high level of training and professionalism that is exhibited at our department – and that is from the top down.

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“Looking back at this, I am inspired by the fact that the officers I work with, I feel that I didn’t do anything different than any of my fellow officers would have done when faced with that situation.”

Trimborn was honored as Police Officer of the Year by the Waukesha Optimist Club Wednesday afternoon at

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“Jason, you should be very proud of your actions on May 30, 2011,” said Waukesha Police Chief Russell Jack.

But it’s not just the CPR that led to the award. Waukesha Police Chief Russell Jack talked about Trimborn’s comfort with the command staff and “ability to interact with everyone.”

Trimborn started with the Waukesha Police Department in January 2009 and is a “local guy,” Jack said.

“Jason lives here in Waukesha, shops here, and plans on being here for his entire career,” Jack said.

  • RELATED STORY: Waukesha Police Capt. Chris Connolly was honored Monday with

Also honored were Waukesha County Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Niles and Correctional Officer Erin Billeb as Deputy of the Year and Correctional Officer of the Year.

Niles is a K-9 handler and has worked with his four-legged partner for seven years, as well as a member of the county’s tactical team. He also was instrumental in training other deputies in the department’s computer-aided dispatch system, including developing a PowerPoint presentation to bring the department through the new system.

“Without Chad doing that, we wouldn’t be anywhere near where we are right now,” said Sheriff Dan Trawicki.

Niles said he was “floored” when he learned he was named Deputy of the Year.

“I really appreciate it, I am very honored,” Niles said. “The things that the sheriff mentioned with the computer stuff – somebody has got to do it.”

Billeb was honored because of her work as a training officer in the Waukesha County Jail, especially for her role in assisting inmates who deal with mental illnesses.

“As you can imagine, a lot of our inmates in the facility … a lot of them suffer from mental illnesses, chemical dependencies,” Trawicki said. “Erin’s job is one that, as you can imagine, is extremely difficult. We are very lucky to have Erin in this position.”


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