City of Hilliard Division of Police Detective Brandon Long has been awarded the Community Service Award by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
He received the recognition at the Law Enforcement Training Symposium, held this week.
This award honors an Ohio law enforcement officer whose involvement in civic organizations helps to build bonds between police and the community.
Detective Long, who joined HPD in 2011, is a familiar face in the Hilliard community. A 1998 graduate of Hilliard Davidson High School, he has served in various roles with the Division, including as a patrol officer, member of the crash investigation team, traffic safety officer, and criminal investigator.
“Coach Brandon” is a community advocate and coach for the Hilliard Bobcats Special Olympics, and currently serves as the State Director of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Ohio.
Over the years, Long has coached basketball, golf, volleyball and tennis. He also has participated alongside Special Olympians in those sports as a partner on unified teams consisting of equal numbers of athletes with and without intellectual disabilities.
Joe Morbitzer, who previously served as Westerville’s police chief and superintendent of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, said the torch run had become “stale and stagnant” before Long became the state director in February 2021. Since then, Morbitzer said law enforcement’s participation in Special Olympics Ohio has grown tremendously.
“This was a result of his efforts to garner participation from leaders of the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association, the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, BCI and the Ohio State Highway Patrol,” he said.
But Long’s dedication to Special Olympics and the special-needs community doesn’t end there.
Andrea Fogt, a teacher and the local coordinator for Hilliard Special Olympics, points to other outstanding contributions as well, including the annual community softball game he organizes between the Bobcats and Hilliard first responders.
“The friendly rivalry, the food, the camaraderie, and the inclusivity that are felt on this day are truly something that I never would have dreamed of,” Fogt said.
Every winter, Long helps organize the Polar Plunge, which this year alone raised $200,000 for the Law Enforcement Torch Run. Long, who participates in the annual event with other Hilliard officers, has personally raised more than $60,000 since 2018 to help pay the entry fees for Hilliard’s Special Olympians and coaches at the state Summer Games.
The annual Amazing Abilities Open House he helps organize in conjunction with the Norwich Township Fire Department gives members of the special needs and autism communities the opportunity to interact with police officers and firefighters in a safe setting.
“Brandon is one of the most humble people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting,” said Haley Melcher, a development director for Special Olympics Ohio who nominated Long for this award. “He understands the value of true inclusion for all and is always willing to go above and beyond to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and welcome.”
Watch the recognition below or click here.
