MT. VERNON, IL — A Longtime Chaplain for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Mt. Vernon Police Department and Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge has received the Bill Mehrtens Lifetime Achievement Award. Mt. Vernon Resident Dan Lovin was announced as the recipient of the award during the organization’s February board meeting in Springfield.

FOP State Lodge President Chris Southwood couldn’t say enough good things about Lovin. He says Lovin is truly deserving of this honor.

Lovin has been recognized with the National FOP Chaplain’s award and has performed numerous crisis interventions as well as stress counseling sessions.

Lovin when asked what it meant to him to receive this honor given how close he was with the man whose name is on the award.

Bill Mehrtens was a Jackson County Deputy Sheriff who then became a labor representative for the FOP.

The Fraternal Order of Police, founded in 1915, is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. The Illinois FOP, chartered in 1963, is the second largest State Lodge, proudly representing more than 34,000 active duty and retired police officers – more than 10 percent of all FOP members nationwide.

Visit www.ilfop.org for more information.

Photo caption: L to R: FOP Awards Chair Jerry Lieb, Dan Lovin, FOP State LOdge President Chris Southwood.