Sergeants

The Amherst Police Department has three (3) road sergeants.
They share this area offices of the building.

Sergeant Dan Makruski

Sergeant Makruski has worked for the Amherst Police Department for seven years and has been a sergeant since 1998.  Before he was a police officer, Sgt. Makruski served in the U.S. Army for five years as an Infantry Squad Leader.  While in the Army, Sgt. Makruski participated in Operation Desert Storm, completed Airborne School and earned the Expert Infantry Badge.

Currently, Sgt. Makruski is the Patrol Division dayshift supervisor.  He also serves as a Field Training Officer, In-Service Training Officer, Firearms Officer, and back-up detective.  Sgt. Makruski instructs at the Lorain County Community College Police Training Academy and is a member of the Lorain County SWAT Team.

Sgt. Makruski has earned the Amherst Police Department Merit Award and Commendation Award for his actions in service to the City of Amherst.

Sgt. Makruski has a wife and two children and enjoys working out on his off time.

Sergeant Mark Cawthon

Mark Cawthon joined the Amherst Police Department in August 29, 1992 as a part-time police dispatcher.  For a short time in January of 1995 he became a full-time dispatcher.  After becoming a full time police dispatcher he was sent to the Cleveland Heights Police Academy in January of 1995 and was then hired as a part-time police officer May 8, 1995.  October 29, 1995 he was hired as a full-time police officer.  In October 1998 he was appointed to the K-9 Unit of the department.  In August of 2000 he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.  Sgt. Cawthon is also a Field Training Officer (FTO) within the department.  This entails training new officers for a portion of their fourteen-week training process.

Prior to joining the Amherst Police Department Sgt. Cawthon attended Lorain County Joint Vocational School Law Enforcement Program and graduated from Clearview High School.  Sgt. Cawthon is currently in the process of completing his associate’s degree in Police Science at Lorain County Community College.  

Sergeant Brian Brancatelli

Sergeant Brian Brancatelli is a four-year veteran with the Amherst Police Department and has been working here since April of 1999.  Prior to working in Amherst, he was enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served there for a little over of seven years.  While in the Coast Guard, he attended numerous law enforcement schools, training seminars, and participated in the “Drug War” by conducting Coast Guard law enforcement boarding of all kinds of different types of vessels in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Erie, and Lake St. Clair; ensuring compliance with all applicable Federal Laws.