Russell Police Officer Paige Clenney Recognized with Distinguished Service Award

Russell Police Officer Paige Clenney was recognized at Tuesday's Russell City Council meeting with a Distinguished Service Award for superior conduct in an investigation.

In early October 2022, Russell Police Officer Paige Clenney took a report of the theft of diesel and criminal use of a financial card case from Russell's 24/7 Travel Store.

Officer Clenney launched an investigation into this case, which resulted in numerous search warrants being served, vehicles being seized, an arrest made, charges filed and many underground criminal elements brought to the attention of not only the Russell Police Department, but also the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service. This case is far reaching, from Kansas to Florida.

On April 10, 2023, Russell Chief of Police Jordan Harrison received an email from KBI Special Agent Mark Johnson commending Officer Clenney's work.

In the email, Special Agent Johnson stated, "Officer Clenney went above and beyond in her efforts to make the case better and to show the severity of the crimes committed. She worked tirelessly to collect evidence, interview witnesses and analyze data to build a strong case against the suspects. Her attention to detail and her ability to connect the dots were critical in ensuring that justice was served."

(Information courtesy Russell Police Department.)