Detective Tim Johnson began his career in law enforcement 25 years ago on January 2nd, 1990. Over the span of his career, he has held a variety of positions and has excelled at each and every one of them. I am certain to miss a few, but the following is a list of some of the assignments he has held:

Uniformed Patrol Officer
Field Training Officer
Robbery/ Homicide Detective
Narcotics Detective
Bicycle Impact Team
K-9 Handler- Narcotics Bureau
Metro Detective

Aside from his primary roles and assignments, Detective Johnson was also a member of our exclusive Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT). In this uncompensated collateral duty assignment, Detective Johnson was able to rise through the rank structure of this elite team and achieve the position of Team Scout. The Scout position on a SWAT team is a position of leadership that is responsible for creating operation plans, safety plans, coordinate training, and making sure that everyone on the team is working together as a fluid unit to accomplish the goals of the mission. Detective Johnson did this for many years and brought our officers home safe each time. Detective Johnson served a total of 13 years on our SWAT Team.

Leadership, organizations skills, and mentorship are just some of the attributes that Detective Johnson possesses. This was evident as his role as a SWAT Scout, his roles as a Detective, and especially as a Field Training Officer where he was responsible for directly training and influencing the behavior of our newest officers. In 2010, the police department was going through some marked changes and we needed some help from our senior and most respected police officers. Staffing levels were short and we needed important leadership roles to be filled. Detective Johnson was asked to take the difficult task of becoming an Acting Police Sergeant. Detective Johnson would have to rely on his vast experience, common sense, and general knowledge to help guide him through his decision making and execution of the position. To no one’s surprise, he did a fantastic job and held the position for several months while the restructuring of our Department was taking place.

The course of his also career brought him many accolades from his peers, supervisors and community. When many officers begin to slow down their careers as they grow older, Detective Johnson continued to pick up speed. He has received numerous commendations for citizens, a variety of police agencies, court representatives, and some official awards ranging from the start of his career to the present; here a couple of the more recent awards:

2006-Medal of Valor
2009- Officer of the Year
2011- Officer of the Month
2012- Sustained Superiority Award

Detective Johnson is hereby awarded “Officer of the Month” for the Month of November 2014; not just for the past 30 days of fine service, but rather for 25 years of truly committed service to the citizens of Hawthorne and the Hawthorne Police Department.

As grateful as this Department is to have received the opportunity to work with Detective Johnson, it is with sincere pride and honor to be here as he retires with 25 years of excellent police service. We thank you for your service, for the everlasting bonds that have been forged, and we wish you the very best in your retirement. The friendships, experiences, laughs, and non-laughs (we don’t cry) that we have shared are memories that won’t be forgotten, but rather, will be retold for many decades to come.

Chief Fager with Detective Johnson at the Council meeting for the proclamation