In a ceremony during the Fulton Rotary Club's meeting Wednesday at the Fulton Country Club, Callaway County Sheriff Dennis Crane was named the recipient of the 2012 G.W. Law Award.
Founded in 1998, the award is given to a county law enforcement agent each year in recognition of his or her exemplary service. It is named after 1800s county sheriff G.W. Law, who was killed in the line of duty by a vigilante mob while he was transporting a criminal.
"It was established as a means for the Rotary Club to provide recognition to a law enforcement officer who demonstrates the rotary ideal of service above self while serving the citizens of Callaway County," said Charlie Anderson of the Auxvasse police department, who officiated the ceremony. "But more importantly, it gives the club an opportunity to say "thank you' to the law enforcement as a whole for the job they do on a daily basis."
During his acceptance speech, Crane said he was only acting in the line of duty.
"I'm so humbled with this and I appreciate the award. What I do was just part of what you elected me to do as your sheriff."
Crane was nominated for the award by Brian Atkins, who wrote Crane's handling of the Ryan Coari case, a double homicide near Auxvasse that occurred last year, made him worthy of the honor. Crane worked many leads on the case personally, and traveled to Michigan, where the suspects had fled, to continue the investigation.
"Atkins called Sheriff Crane "extremely devoted to his position,' serving all citizens of Callaway with respect, and he goes on to say that Sheriff Crane instills such value amongst his agency and his employees," quoted Anderson.