Police Promotion Ceremony: A New Tradition

*left to right, Renne, Warner, Dull, and Dowdy (photo by Courtney Cole).*

In what looks to be a new tradition, three Excelsior Springs Police Officers were honored in a promotion ceremony on Tuesday. Family and friends gathered to show their support and celebrate the hard work of the three individuals. Ryan Dowdy, Jeremiah Renne, and Robert Warner were each recognized for their service and pinned with a new badge by each of their spouses. Former police chief Clint Reno was in attendance and said that in his many years on the force he had never been a part of a promotion ceremony, but said he thought the ceremony was a great way to show appreciation for the hard work these officers have done. Chief Gregory Dull said that he instituted the promotion ceremony because “these members have dedicated their lives to serving the Excelsior community and I believe their hard work and dedication is worthy of recognition. I also want their family members to be able to share in that recognition, and for the community to know the caliber of the men and women who serve as their officers.”

*Dowdy, promoted, pinned, and with family (photos by S Jason Cole)*

On October 21, 2013, Ryan Dowdy began his public safety career as a part-time police officer for the City of Excelsior Springs. Soon thereafter, in December of 2013, he transitioned to a position as a full-time police officer. Early in his career, Ryan showed a passion for the job, developed a strong connection with the community, and displayed a clear dedication to the City of Excelsior Springs.

As Ryan’s knowledge in the field of law enforcement grew, so did his desire to pass that knowledge on to his peers. In September of 2017, Ryan applied for and was assigned as a Field Training Officer. After he trained his first officer, it was apparent that Ryan truly took to field training and quickly excelled at the position. Ryan has successfully trained and developed several new recruits since that time.

Ryan’s job knowledge, positive attitude, and willingness to improve the department through the development of younger officers did not go unnoticed, and on July 16 of 2018, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
During his time as Patrol Sergeant, Ryan proved to be a natural leader and quickly gained the trust of his peers. Ryan also took on several administrative projects designed to modernize and improve various areas within the Excelsior Springs Police Department. A couple of these projects include assistance with the rollout of the department’s new Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management system, and revamping our decades-old Field Training manual. During his career, Ryan has earned the department’s Lifesaving Award, Meritorious Service Award, and multiple Special Unit Citation awards. With his promotion, Lt. Dowdy will be assigned as the Patrol Division Commander.

*Renne, promoted, pinned, and with family (photos by S Jason Cole)*

On January 3, 2011, Jeremiah Renne began his public safety career as a full-time police officer for the City of Excelsior Springs. Early in his career, it became clear that Jeremiah possessed a unique way of thinking, giving him the ability to understand how to connect with people during the most difficult times of their lives. As Jeremiah enhanced these skills, he began to develop his leadership style around them. As a result, he started mentoring many of his peers and became known as someone you could go to for helpful advice.
As a recognition of his talents, in 2016, Jeremiah was asked to take an assignment as a School Resource Officer with the Excelsior Springs School District. As a School Resource Officer, Jeremiah’s impact could immediately be seen. He developed excellent relationships with students and staff, recognized potential concerns with policies and procedures and took the necessary steps to address them, and always maintained a positive working environment. For all his hard work, Jeremiah was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on August 16th, 2018.

In April of 2021, Jeremiah was assigned the role of Support Services Commander. Again, Jeremiah has been excelling in the position. Jeremiah views the role of support services commander as more than just providing traditional administrative and support functions. He strongly believes the position needs to involve supporting employees on a more personal level as they grow and mature in their careers. It’s this type of compassion that we strongly value and hope to instill in future generations of law enforcement officers.
Jeremiah has earned the department’s Lifesaving Award, several Special Unit Citation awards, and a Meritorious Service Award throughout his career. With the promotion to Lieutenant, Jeremiah will also supervise Communications, the Records Unit, and the Animal Control Unit.

*Warner, promoted, pinned, and with family (photos by S Jason Cole)*

On January 5, 2009, Robert Warner began his public safety career with the City of Excelsior Springs. Being a life-long resident of Excelsior Springs, Robert felt that being a police officer in this city was a perfect fit for himself and his family.

In September of that year, he began serving as the department’s K9 officer and was partnered with Zarko for 3 years until Zarko’s retirement. Robert, along with Jeremiah Renne, was instrumental in the implementation of the 12-hour shift schedule for the patrol unit. On March 16, 2013, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Robert’s calm presence served him well in this supervisory role. Many of his fellow officers relied on his excellent report writing skills for guidance and education to improve their own reports.
On June 27, 2021, Robert was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and began serving as the Patrol Division Commander. With so many changes in the command staff at that time, Robert quickly adapted to the many hats he had to wear in his new position. His attention to detail and thoroughness proved effective in this role. He was again instrumental in the implementation of the 12-hour shift schedule, but this time for the communications unit.

During his 13 year career with Excelsior Springs, Robert has earned the department’s Life-Saving Award, Meritorious Service Award, and numerous Special Unit Citation awards. For his exemplary service as Patrol Division Commander, on December 1, 2021, Robert was promoted to the rank of Captain. With his promotion, Captain Warner is assigned as the Operations Bureau Commander. This new position to ESPD will oversee the Detective Unit Supervisor, the Patrol Commander, and the Youth Services Unit Supervisor.