This month’s Police Officers of the Month, Patrol Officer Joseph Fitchwell and Patrol Officer Michael Kane are true heroes in every sense of the word. On the morning of January 9, 2026, while refueling their zone car, they spotted what appeared to be a house on fire on Parkview Road. They immediately rushed to the scene and found a house ablaze with the bottom level fully engulfed with smoke and potential live electrical wires.
The officers then began banging on the doors and began evacuating the four people inside along with their pets. The officers then navigated the family through a fenced backyard, using a slated board as a ladder for them to leave the immediate area. It was at this time that a loud explosion was heard and the house was fully engulfed. These officers responded immediately to this dangerous situation and, without thinking of their own safety, saved this family that morning.
I spoke with Cleveland Division of Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Freddy Diaz, who stated, “If this action by these officers was delayed another 30 seconds we may be talking about a different outcome to this story.”
It is because of their dedication to their duties and the community that the Cleveland Police Foundation is honored to name Patrol Officer Joseph Fitchwell and Patrol Officer Michael Kane our Police Officers of the Month for January 2026.
– Bob Guttu, CPF
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About the Police Officer of the Month Program
The Cleveland Police Foundation – in partnership with the Cleveland Division of Police, Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, and the Fraternal Order of Police Cleveland Lodge 8 – is proud of the Police Officer of the Month program. The program’s purpose is to recognize members of the Cleveland Division of Police who not only perform their duties in an exemplary and extraordinary manner, but also excel in efforts that are consistent with a major tenet of the CPF’s mission to strengthen the bonds between citizens and police officers… building bridges, creating opportunities for dialogue, and forging positive relationships within the community.
Already aware that officers in the Cleveland Division of Police routinely go out of their way to help their fellow citizens, committee members are not surprised by the large number of candidates. With so many outstanding officers, selecting one recipient per month proved to be a somewhat daunting task.
When asked why bestow these awards, CPF Executive Director Charles W. Lane, Jr. states, “In today’s busy world, while some deeds may seem fairly insignificant, we hold out hope that such random acts of kindness may have a significant impact on a person’s life. Even if not, it’s nice to know that our police officers do for others what they would want someone else to do for a member of their family if the opportunity presented itself.”
Police officers across this great country perform similar deeds day-in and day-out, with little fanfare and really not seeking, nor even wanting recognition. We commend these officers for their compassion and personal commitment to making our city a better place to live.