The Thomas R. Meyers Award

The Thomas Meyer Award originated due to the fact each year the ASIS Greater Kansas City Chapter presented the Clarence M. Kelley Award for excellence in law enforcement administration, which is presented to a chief, sheriff or other law enforcement executive.  At the time it was felt that it would behoove the chapter to reward the men and women on the other end of the ladder, those with whom our members most often call upon for assistance in protecting our employers and clients.

The idea for a form of recognition was discussed off and on for a few years until three of the chapter’s members got together and decided to put a program together to present to the membership.  The committee was comprised of three former law enforcement officers: Tom Robinson (Kansas City PD) with KCP&L, Larry Higdon (Gladstone PD), retired from Southwestern Bell and Pat Quinn (Rolla PD) and then with Clarence M. Kelly & Associates.  This effort was done with the knowledge, blessing and assistance of then Chapter Chairman Ed Spalding (Lee’s Summit PD).

The committee established the following criteria:

1. The primary criteria would be the individual’s efforts to prevent crime and enhance the security of their community.
2. Second would be the individual’s efforts in creating or enhancing relationships between law enforcement and their community.
3. Third would be the individual’s efforts in creating or enhancing relationships between law enforcement and the security profession.  (This is third because not all law enforcement personnel have an opportunity to regularly interact with security).
4. In all cases every effort will be made to present the award to those at the bottom of the law enforcement ladder (E.g. Officer, Deputy, Agent, Sergeant, Supervisor, etc.).

Once the criteria had been selected the effort turned to a proper name for the award.  Several “generic” names were considered for the award as were the names of several individuals, however when Tom Meyers name came up there was unanimous agreement to name it after him.  Likewise the membership vote to accept the plan was unanimous. 

The reasons were as follows:

Thomas R. Meyers was a Police Officer with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and he was well known throughout the Metro as a tireless advocate for preventing crime and protecting personal and corporate assets.  Tom took it upon himself to meet with any civic, community, neighborhood, and church or youth group to spread the word about crime prevention or the securing of a commercial or residential facility.  If a business owner or homeowner called and asked him to conduct a security assessment, Tom would gladly accommodate them even in his time off.  Any and every opportunity he was able to make the citizens of the Kansas City Police Department North Patrol Division safer and create a more secure place to live and work, Tom would step up to the plate and give it his every effort.

Tom was a member of the ASIS Greater Kansas city Chapter, and in those days Tom paid his dues out of his pocket.  He said that he joined our Chapter to learn more about how he could be of greater assistance when asked by a business for help in securing their facilities.

On January 14, 1998, Tom was killed after being struck by a car while assisting a victim at the scene of an accident on I-29. He was walking to the aid of a motorist stranded next to the concrete barrier in the middle of I-29 when a drunk driving at highway speed plowed into his police car, driving it into Tom.  Tom lost his life doing what he had dedicated his life to do and had lived his life doing, helping others who found themselves in danger.   Lastly, to the best of anyone’s knowledge Tom Meyers is believed to be the only member of KC-ASIS to lose his or her life in the performance of their profession. 

So you see, Tom was not just another law enforcement officer who tragically lost his life in the line of duty, but one who embraced the goals, ethics and standards of the American Society for Industrial Security, now ASIS International, and died going to the aid of one of those he had sworn to protect.  Officer Meyers had served with the Kansas City Police Department for 13 years and had served in law enforcement for 25 years. 

Nomination Form

The Thomas R. Meyers Award was first awarded in 1999.  Past award recipients are below: