The Davenport Noon Optimist Club, representatives of the Davenport police department and Mayor Mike Matson gathered Friday, Aug. 16, to honor Sgt. Jason Willey as the 2024 Davenport Noon Optimist Club Respect for Law recipient.
For more than 40 years the Davenport Noon Optimist Club has gathered annually to celebrate a member of the Davenport Police Department. They do so to recognize their dedicated service advancing the Respect for Law objective of Optimist International.
Sgt. Willey has dedicated nearly three decades to exemplary service in law enforcement and military roles, according to a club news release. He has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership and commitment.
Since April 2021, he has led a team of investigators and civilians in traffic enforcement and crash investigations. Sgt. Willey serves as department motorcycle officer and as Davenport Police liaison to the Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau.
His combined expertise in military and law enforcement underscores his commitment to safety, training, and leadership. That makes him a valuable asset to the Davenport Police Department and an exemplary candidate for the recognition.
In July 1965, a discussion between Past Optimist International President Carl Bowen and former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover resulted in the birth of the Optimist Respect for Law program. More than 1,500 Clubs participate each year.
Through the years over a quarter of a million law enforcement officers have been honored by thousands of Optimist Clubs around the world.
This program is intended to make the nation’s youth and the general public aware of the hard work and personal dedication shown by law enforcement officials. It also encourages support for the difficult task of law enforcement.
Peers select winner
The award is given to an officer who has shown exemplary service to the department and dedication to law enforcement. The officer is selected by his or her peers in the Davenport Police Department.
In 2014 past recipient Sgt. Kevin Marxen passed away unexpectedly. The Davenport Noon Optimist Club’s renamed the award the Sgt. Kevin Marxen Respect for Law to honor the life lived by Sgt. Marxen. It was a life closely aligned with the Optimist Creed.
Sgt. Willey said that he is grateful to receive the award and will continue to uphold the values for which he is recognized.
“I’m honored I was selected by my peers and the command at the Davenport Police Department to receive this award. We continue to do the things that we’re doing and see if there’s better ways to do what we do. Every day at work is a challenge and every day is different. You meet those challenges and learn how to overcome those.”
Past recipients include last year’s recipient Sgt. Brandon Koepke, Maj. Jamie Brown, Chief Jeffrey Bladel and past Chief Paul Sikorski.
Davenport Noon Optimist Club is part of Optimist International, whose mission is to bring out the best in youth, our communities and ourselves by providing hope and positive vision.
