CLEVELAND — The Canton Regional SWAT Team was honored as the Law Enforcement Partner of the Year on Thursday at the annual awards ceremony hosted by the U.S. Marshals Service for the Northern District of Ohio.
The SWAT team, comprised of 25 police officers from six different agencies and supported by six paramedics and a medical doctor, serves Stark and Carroll counties under the command of the Canton Police Department.
On Nov. 18, 2024, the Canton Regional SWAT Team responded to a motel standoff in Jackson Township involving a fugitive wanted on a federal weapons charge.
During the confrontation, sniper Patrick Lewis of the North Canton Police Department was shot in the arm. The U.S. Marshals Service reported that the team displayed "professionalism, commitment, and dedication to safely resolve the situation," and Lewis later credited his fellow SWAT members for saving his life.
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The recognition comes as the multi-agency tactical unit continues to demonstrate extraordinary teamwork alongside federal marshals and local law enforcement partners.
