ANN ARBOR – The Washtenaw 100 – a regional charity dedicated to supporting our area’s public safety professionals – has honored Sergeant John Cratsenburg of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office with the organization’s Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award for 2022.
Sgt. Cratsenburg, a 15-year WCSO veteran, was recognized last week at The Washtenaw 100’s annual dinner for his many responsibilities within the department. He leads the WCSO’s Police Training Program, Crisis Negotiations Team, and Secondary Road Patrol (Traffic Team). He also works midnights in Ypsilanti Township, the WCSO’s busiest area, where he guides the department’s newest deputies as they grow into their roles.
Sgt. Cratsenburg recently rethought and rewrote the WCSO’s deputy training program and is overseeing its implementation. Over the years he has trained many dozens of new deputies, while monitoring their progress to help ensure they succeed.
Sgt. Cratsenburg has also received region-wide press coverage for driving the WCSO’s collaboration with Washtenaw County Community Mental Health (WCCMH) in their innovative work to help defuse hostage crises and other urgent situations.
Lieutenant Shane Peltier of the WCSO nominated Sgt. Cratsenburg for the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award – and he couldn’t be more effusive in his praise. He says: “Sgt. Cratsenburg is truly a role model, someone we can always trust to get the job done. He’s known for his meticulous attention to detail in the administrative areas of his job, and he has an exceptional work ethic. Sixteen-hour days are not unusual for this dedicated public servant, whenever the community’s needs call for it.”
About The Washtenaw 100
In September 1971, a small group of Ann Arbor-area community leaders formed The Washtenaw 100, a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to the families of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty.
Over the years, The Washtenaw 100 has expanded its mission to also include: college scholarships for children of police and firefighting professionals; grants to police and fire departments for needed safety equipment and training; and annual awards to the county’s most distinguished law enforcement officers and firefighters.
Originally, The Washtenaw 100 operated anonymously. Membership was by private invitation only, it was limited to approximately 100 members (hence the name), and the organization sought no public recognition for its efforts.
Today, The Washtenaw 100 invites all in the community to join. Members’ annual fees and individual donations enable the organization to continue supporting our area’s sworn uniformed officers and their families, who give bravely and selflessly for the safety and security of the community.
In the past five decades, The Washtenaw 100 has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in needed assistance to the area’s public safety officers and their departments.
The Washtenaw 100 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization exempt from federal tax. Members’ annual fees and donations may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
More information is available from The Washtenaw 100 at P.O. Box 1204, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Email: info@washtenaw100.org. Web: www.washtenaw100.org.
