Stillwater Police Officers to Receive Commendations for Role in Bank Robbery

Four Stillwater Police officers will receive Letters of Commendation on Tuesday for their roles in protecting the public during a bank robbery and bomb threat in downtown Stillwater earlier this summer.

David Michael Tyler, 64, of Cheboygan, Mich., was arrested within minutes of the bank robbery being reported, and federally charged with aggravated robbery.

Tyler allegedly put on a fake beard and dark-tinted glasses, walked into US Bank, set a black briefcase down on a desk—and passed an employee a note stating: "It's going to be a real good day or a real bad day," according to the complaint. He told police he is a “career criminal” who owes $90,000 in child-support payments and "felt he had no option but to rob a bank."

After his arrest, the St. Paul bomb squad removed a black briefcase, which contained a “fake bomb” from US Bank.

As a result of the incident, four Stillwater Police officers will receive commendations for their work on June 8.

Below is a summary of the commendations and the roles each officer played in the incident:

When Stillwater Sgt. Jeff Stender arrived on the scene, he assisted with the incident command of three potential crime scenes—one at the bank, at the Lowell Inn and the suspect’s vehicle.

Stender “directed personnel as needed to protect the integrity of each crime scene and interviewed persons as needed,” the Letter of Commendation reads. “Sgt. Stender worked closely with representatives of assisting agencies including the FBI in the lengthy investigation that ensued.”

Stender will be recognized for his “courage and assistance during this volatile incident.”

Sgt. Chris Felsch, along with Police Officers Ryan Mitchell and Sandra Vetsch, will receive Distinguished Service commendations for that same incident.

When the call came in, officers Ryan Mitchell, Sandra Vetsch and Felsch were the first to arrive on scene.

“Arriving first and alone, Sgt. Felsch quickly spoke with bank employees and collected a description and direction of travel for a suspect who had just exited the bank prior to his arrival,” the letter reads. When Felsch left the bank, he could see the suspect walking away from the bank on Main Street, and pursued the suspect on foot while continuing to update responding units.

The three officers were able to take the suspect into custody without incident, and request the necessary resources to secure the area and evacuate people in the businesses located in the “danger area” of all three crime scenes.