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Capital Area Theodore Roosevelt Police
Award
2008 Honoree: Officer Dale K. Anonsen
 On December 2, 2008 the Capital Area Chapter of the Theodore Roosevelt Association honored Officer Dale Anonsen of the Montgomery County Police Department as its 5th Annual Theodore Roosevelt Police Award recipient. The 1 p.m. ceremony was held at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Building in Washington, DC. Anonsen was selected from a field of nominees from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in the Washington, DC region.
Doug Hill, chief meteorologist for the Washington ABC television affiliate (WJLA) served as master of ceremony. A former police officer, Hill spoke about the essence of character and how law enforcement officers have a special ability to put their own problems aside when they respond to someone in need.
Hill read the following citation about the circumstances that lead to Anonsen's nomination and selection for the Theodore Roosevelt® Police Award:
Over a 3 ½ year period Officer Dale Anonsen experienced a series of injuries and illnesses that required him to cycle between medical leave, full duty and light duty before he finally was able to return as a patrol officer in July 2003. Dale's first injury occurred in February 2000, when he was involved in a head-on collision while responding to a call. This required surgery to remove about 35% of the cartilage in his right knee, followed by intensive rehabilitation. Five months later and just one week after returning to full duty, Dale reinjured the same knee, requiring a second surgery and removal of about 90% of the cartilage. He returned to work a few months later, but the loss of cartilage impaired circulation in his leg, requiring still more rehab. Dale returned to light duty wearing a compression sock and special brace. A few months later, pain in the arm and a persistent cough turned out to be from a grapefruit-sized lung abscess, caused by an unknown infectious agent. Recovered and returned to light duty for a few months, Dale felt pain and tingling in his left fingers, which, after extensive testing, was diagnosed as two ruptured discs in his neck, possibly from the February 2000 collision. He underwent yet another surgery to remove disks and fuse vertebrae. After three months, he finally returned as a full duty patrol officer. Despite all his challenges, Dale never lost sight of his goal to patrol the streets of Silver Spring again. "I don't look at myself as a quitter," he said. "I like the excitement of being out there and dealing with things as they happen."
Dale's subsequent supervisor, Sergeant Mark Sheelor, worked with him for about one year before he knew of Dale's challenges. "I was completely taken aback, because he had never complained or even said anything about all his medical problems," Sheelor recalled.
Dale's passion showed through in his determination to come back, and in his exemplary work ethic and desire to remain on patrol, where he now has been for 20 years. "I hope that new officers will have as much dedication and integrity as Dale has," said Sergeant Sheelor. Younger officers have ample opportunity to learn from him, since he voluntarily serves as a training officer for new recruits fresh out of the academy.
For Dale, it's all in a day's work and a career in public service. "I have an important job that really needs to be done, that not many people want to do, and that I've been entrusted to do, so I'm going to see it through."
TRA Trustee and Capital Area Chapter President, Gena Rollins, joined by Capital Area Chapter member Commander Kevin Brown, USCG, presented the award to Officer Anonsen.
Like other sites, the Capital Area Chapter award consists of a ribbon medal and commendation bar for the honored officer’s uniform, a 10-inch bust of TR, and a cash prize of $1,000. Officer Anonsen's name also was engraved on a plaque that will be displayed at Montgomery County Police Department headquarters for one year. In addition, historian H. W. Brands dedicated a copy of his book, The Selected Letters of Theodore Roosevelt, to Officer Anonsen.
The ceremony took place in Ketchum Hall at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Building in Washington, DC. Motorola, a manufacturer of police communications equipment, systems and intelligence data, sponsored the award.
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