CLEE Awards

CLEE AWARDS

Chief Michael Kallai, CLEE Barberton PD, where he spent his entire career, was a friend of the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police and Law Enforcement Foundation. Chief Kallai passed away suddenly while on vacation with his family during the summer of 2010. Chief Kallai was a graduate of the PELC program, was active in the PELC Alumni Association, and several other committees in law enforcement. Chief Kallai graduated from the CLEE program in 2004 with CLASS IX and was appointed to the CLEE Advisory Board shortly after graduation. He was an active member of the Board, and in the middle of his second term on the CLEE board. Chief Kallai was a strong advocate for the CLEE program and actively worked on the board to strengthen CLEE and to ensure its stature for years to -come through his work to create a sound financial future.

Chief Kallai was also active in his community, serving as a varsity assistant wrestling coach at Wadsworth High School as well as being in integral part of numerous other community activities and events.

Following his sudden death, the CLEE board established the Chief Michael Kallai CLEE Award to be granted each year at graduation to recognize one of the graduates who performed exceptionally well in the CLEE academics as well as has an established record of community involvement, as did Chief Kallai.

The recipient of the Chief Michael Kallai Award for Class XXIX is: Major Tricia White, Lucas Co. Sheriff’s Office.

Major White began her law enforcement career in 2003 with the Lucas Co. Sheriff’s Office. She was promoted to sergeant in 2006, and continued to advance through the ranks from Lieutenant, then Captain, and most recently Major in May 2021. Her primary responsibilities include overseeing the county 911 communication section, Records, Personnel, Finance, Standards & Training, Equipment & Supply, as well as the media team.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Toledo in 1994 and her Master of Arts degree in 2005 from the University of Toledo.

Major White is the recipient of numerous recognitions from the Lucas Co. Sheriff’s Office and the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities. She was also named the CIT Law Enforcement Administrator of the Year in 2023 by the Ohio Criminal Justice Coordinating Center of Excellence.

Just as Chief Kallai was active in his community, Major White is also involved in bettering her community. She is a trustee on the Lucas County Board of Mental Health and Recovery Services and an advisory member of the Salvation Army of Northwest Ohio. She also served as the vice chairperson on the board for the Toledo Metro Federal Credit Union.

Dr. Ray A. Miller served as the program director for the Certified Law Enforcement (CLEE) program for ten years (2004-2014).  He passed away in June 2014 after a two-year courageous battle with leukemia.  Dr. Miller exemplified the core values of CLEE throughout his highly accomplished life. He was a strong believer in giving to the community. He was an active member of his church and of The Ohio State University Alumni Association.  His contagious smile and affirming pronouncement that “Life is Good!” touched so many in the law enforcement community and beyond.

The CLEE Advisory Board developed the Dr. Ray A. Miller Alumni Leadership Award to be given annually at the Chiefs In-service/Annual Conference to an active CLEE graduate who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in his local community and to the law enforcement profession.