A Lehigh County homicide detective and a Whitehall Township police chief received prestigious memorial awards recognizing their exemplary service to law enforcement at a ceremony Tuesday night at DeSales University.
Detective Kevin R. Mriss of the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force and Whitehall Police Chief Michael J. Marks were both honored with the Col. John K. Schafer Memorial Award. Marks received the 38th annual award for 2024, while Mriss was named the 39th annual winner for 2025.
The Schafer Award honors the memory of a former Pennsylvania State Police commissioner who served 23 years with the state police, including time with Troop M-Bethlehem. Schafer rose through the ranks to be appointed commissioner by Gov. Robert Casey in 1987, but his tenure was cut short when he died from cancer later that year. The award given in his name recognizes exemplary service to law enforcement…