'Part of the ISP family'

COEUR d’ALENE — Idaho State Police Trooper Daniel Taylor was proud to receive the District 1 Officer of the Year plaque Friday, but he was reluctant to take credit for it.

“Even though my name is the one that’s on here, really, this award is an extension of everybody else in this room,” he said before about 50 people at the ISP headquarters on Wilbur Avenue.

Taylor, an ISP officer for four years, has done a great job, said Capt. John Kempf during an hourlong gathering.

It was a close-knit atmosphere, with many ISP officers honored for their service as family members looked on.

Kempf said Taylor had a record 106 DUI arrests last year. He contributes in many other ways to ISP’s operations, including recruiting quality people to work in ISP’s District 1 and contributes to the Kootenai County Police and Fire Memorial Foundation.

“He does outstanding work,” Kempf said.

Taylor said he couldn’t do his job without his colleagues, including supervisors, evidence technicians and dispatchers.

“This award means a lot to me,” he said.

He said this year was an eye-opener following an accident involving ISP Sgt. Mike Wendler, who was hit by a passing car while directing traffic at a vehicle fire on Interstate 84 in Jerome County in September.

Wendler was hospitalized in critical condition, but is recovering.

“Out on the road we all handle crashes like that,” Taylor said. “At any point in time that could be us.”

Taylor said he works as hard as he can and takes nothing for granted.

“I try to live my life to the fullest but I work every shift like it might be my last,” he said.

Taylor’s wife and children were present, and he thanked them for their support.

“My family, they don’t know what’s going to happen on that shift," Taylor said.

The Supervisor of the Year award went to Sgt. Justin Scotch, who has been with ISP 10 years.

Kempf said Scotch has been instrumental with the North Idaho DUI Task Force, which has led efforts to get drunken drivers off the roads.

“I couldn’t have done it all without you guys,” Scotch said.

The District 1 Employee of the Year Award went to Keila Wyndham, an ISP regional communication officer who plays a key role in training dispatchers.

The District 1 Appreciation Award went to Kassie Allen, owner of Anchor Coffee in Coeur d'Alene, which has drive-thru sites on Dalton Avenue and Ironwood Drive.

Kempf said the award is for someone outside the ISP who helps further their mission.

“Many of us in here only drink Anchor coffee, but also any time we have any kind of an event go on, one of the first text messages that I get is from Kassie. 'Do we need anything?’ I appreciate that," Kempf said.

He said Allen hosts fundraisers, stays open extra hours to support ISP operations and works behind the scenes to benefit the Kootenai County Police and Fire Memorial Foundation.

“I can’t thank you enough on behalf of the district," Kempf said.

Allen said her father, Sean Daly, was an ISP District 1 trooper for 25 years, so she has always supported the agency.

She said she is often asked what Anchor Coffee's connection is to law enforcement.

Her answer is always the same: “We’re part of the ISP family.”