Spring Township Detective Named Centre County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year

A Spring Township detective credited for his work on high-profile investigations and his compassionate approach to community policing was honored on Thursday as the Centre County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.

Detective Lucas Nelson received the honor from District Attorney Bernie Cantorna during a ceremony at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte.

"The reason people speak to Luke is because he is trustworthy; he is compassionate; he is empathetic... And in the big cases that's really important because we find out what the truth is, and then we we do what we need to do with that truth," Cantorna said. "And in the other cases that make up the vast majority of our cases here in Centre County, they’re individuals who can be helped with respect, integrity and compassion and often he is advocating on cases where it’s appropriate for the person he arrested."

Nelson is the first Spring Township officer to receive the award since it was instituted by Cantorna's office in 2019

In the last year, Nelson's cases have included working with the FBI on the arrest of a local journalist accused of soliciting sex from teenagers, and leading the investigations of multiple DUI homicides , two cases of drug delivery resulting in death and two attempted murders. Most notably, Cantorna said, Nelson's interview with a suspect following a car fire that spread to a Spring Township home last July secured evidence to support first-degree attempted murder and arson charges in a case that is still pending.

An investigator for the Centre County Drug Task Force, Nelson also helped take down two methamphetamine dealing operations in Bellefonte.

"It's an honor to be recognized today for this award, but make no mistake, this isn't an individual award," Nelson said. "My name may be on the plaque, but this is a team effort. Everyone I work with at Spring Township, I truly believe we have the best department in the county, in the state. It's something that I truly cherish, the relationship that we work together... The successful resolution of a lot of these cases is because of the great working environment that we have at Spring Township."

Nelson was a part-time officer in Bellefonte before being recruited to join the Spring Township Police Department in 2016 by then-Chief Michael Danneker, who is now township manager. A year later, with a detective having just left the department and a murder case to be investigated, Danneker said he recognized Nelson was ready for the role.

"Luke was the one I saw that had the most promise to be our detective," Danneker said. "It's really rare to put a young officer who's just off basically probation for full-time, isn't truly a seasoned officer, to promote him to a detective position. But it's because Luke was awesome in report writing, he was dedicated to the job, and one of the biggest things with a detective is being organized."

Nelson is well-liked both in law enforcement and within the community, Cantorna said, and his dedication to the people he serves is "the epitome of community policing."

His empathy and compassion extend not only to victims and their families, Cantorna noted, but to people who are struggling and may run afoul of the law.

"Luke gains their trust and confidence, and often works to resolutions that make their lives better, maybe keeps them out of court, and that actually makes our community much, much safer," Cantorna said.

Spring Township Police Chief Adam Salyards called Nelson an "exceptional" person and detective who is "an outstanding role model," and praised his professionalism, investigative skills, ability to act swiftly and mentorship of other officers.

"He's also able and willing to lead both with strength and compassion, and those are traits of a good leader," Salyards said. "His colleagues admire him for his unwavering dedication, and his community really respects him for his tireless efforts.... It's his commitment to justice. It's his empathy for others. It's his unyielding determination to serve and protect and it's all because he cares. Luke has a big heart, and if anybody knows him, Luke gets very involved in his cases, and that has given a lot of families peace and closure because he cares about a case and he will see it through to the end... He is truly a great example for all of us here today. This is a very well-deserved award."

For Nelson, the honor was "about the greater community."

"If I can play a small role in helping out the community, I'm glad to do that," he said.

PAST CENTRE COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS OF THE YEAR

• 2019 – State College Officer John Aston, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Jeffrey Ebeck

• 2020 – State College Detective Donald Paul, Patton Township Officer Brian Shaffer

• 2021 – State College Detective Stephen Bosak

• 2022 – State College Officers Dean Woodring, Larry Crawford, Ben Capozzi and Cameron Earnest and Lieutenant Barrett Smith

• 2023 — Ferguson Township Detective Caleb Clouse, Bellefonte Officer Macy Neideigh

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