Firefighter Sworn In, WPD Officers PromotedWarsaw Board of Public Works and Safety Friday swore in a firefighter and approved the promotion of two Warsaw Police Department officers. Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer swore in Brandon Allen, a fourth- generation firefighter, to the Warsaw-Wayne Township Fire Department. Allen’s family attended the meeting, and his grandfather, Bob Allen, a former Leesburg Fire Department firefighter, pinned a fireman’s pin on Allen. Brandon’s father, Ken Allen, is a paramedic supervisor for Multi-Township EMS and a former Leesburg firefighter, and Brandon’s great-grandfather, Ken Hartman, also is a former Leesburg firefighter. The board also approved the promotion of two Warsaw Police Department officers, Joe Hawn and Paul Heaton. Hawn was promoted from the detective rank to the rank of detective sergeant. Hawn’s salary will increase from $2,117.38 to $2,141.63. Hawn was assigned to the detective division in June 2007. In December 2008, he was reassigned to the DARE program. In addition, from June 8 through August 7, 2009, Hawn assisted the detective division. In January, Hawn was again promoted to the rank of detective. Heaton was promoted from the rank of detective to detective sergeant. Heaton’s salary will increase from $1,849.05 to $1,873.30. In September 2010, Heaton was temporarily reassigned from the patrol division to the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force. In August 2011, Heaton was promoted to the rank of detective. In June 2012, Heaton was assigned to the detective division where he assumed the primary responsibilities of investigating drug related cases that originated in the city. Also during the meeting, the board approved a salary for Firefighter Troy Knefelkamp at $1,580.47 bi-weekly. In other business, the board approved an $84,411.87 payment to Grand River Construction for retainage for the Center Street pump station.
