GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- “You can’t change the past. You can only control what you do moving forward.”

Such is the daily mindset of Thomas Warwick, a 14-year Grand Rapids police officer who is still attempting to rebuild the community’s trust he damaged more than three years ago when he played a part in a police cover-up.

Warwick, 39, was one of three officers who neglected their duty to properly investigate a November 2016 wrong-way crash that involved a then-assistant prosecutor, who showed signs of intoxication when police arrived on scene.

No breathalyzer test was administered to the attorney, Josh Kuiper, despite another officer describing him as “hammered,” and despite a man being injured in the crash. Warwick then drove him home.

The incident led to the discovery of a police department phone line that was believed by officers to be unrecorded. The line recorded conversations between officers that night, in which then-Lt. Matthew Janiskee coached Officer Adam Ickes and Warwick, who was a police sergeant, on how to avoid giving a breath test for alcohol.

The officers were recommended for termination, but Warwick reached a settlement with the city that involved him being demoted and serving a month unpaid suspension. Ickes remained an officer as well, but Janiskee was fired.

Today, even as he’s being recognized as the department’s 2019 officer of the year, Warwick is reminded of his missteps and the second chance he was given.

“I take ownership for it, I apologize for my role in it,” Warwick said. "There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about it. But I think it drives me in a positive way. It helped me become who I am now and realize how fragile and momentous a mistake can be.”

Warwick understands that not everyone in the community has forgiven him for his actions. He doesn't blame them.

He knows his actions left some community members skeptical of the police department or law enforcement in general. That might be the most painful part.

But as long as he can remember, he has wanted to be a police officer. His father was a Grand Rapids police officer. So was his grandfather.

And when his career hung in the balance, he said, he never considered leaving the profession or moving away from his hometown to get a fresh start.

“I never thought about what was next,” Warwick said. “I just kind of hoped and prayed and had faith the situation would work itself out ... If I had to start over here and make up for my wrongdoing, so be it.”

Former Grand Rapids Police Chief David Rahinsky said he believed the officers should be terminated for their actions. While he stood by that later, he also noted Warwick’s reputation was “sterling” prior to the incident and said he was impressed by the quality of the officer’s work after he served his suspension.

“I see him out in the community, I see him engaging with people,” Rahinsky said in an interview with MLive prior to his retirement in December 2018. “I see where his heart is, and I recognize that the city ultimately made a decision that serves only only the department well but the city well.”

On Wednesday, the police department announced Warwick as the recipient of one of two 2019 officer of the year awards. The annual award recognizes an officer for “exhibiting exceptional dedication and service to the department and community.”

Warwick said he was surprised and humbled to receive the same award that many of his mentors and coworkers before him. He considers this year’s recognition to be more about his patrol team than himself as an individual.

“The team had a few life-saving awards last year and I think people hold those pretty dear,” Warwick said.

One such incident came when Warwick and other officers were dispatched to help a woman having a medical episode. Warwick administered CPR while another officer assisted with an automated external defibrillator (AED) until paramedics could get on scene and take over. The woman survived, thanks in part to the officer’s quick actions.

Warwick and a small group of officers also bought new Christmas gifts for a mother and three children who lost all of their belongings to a house fire in early January.

“I have kids and I couldn’t imagine them having to go through that so we went and got them some gifts,” he said. “Given the opportunity, I think several people here would have done the same thing. Maybe that makes a dent in that negative situation in their lives."

Warwick and other officers will be honored during the department’s 37th annual awards dinner on March 9 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. Also being recognized will be the department’s officer of the year for administrative/investigative services, Stephen Wiersema, and the civilian employee of the year, Sheila Brow.

Award winners were chosen by a nine-member peer awards board, which is appointed by the police chief.

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