Frazer hires Officer Brian Shaw Scholarship recipient as part-time officer

Frazer’s newest police officer has a heartfelt connection to former New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw.

Steve Edwards of Lower Burrell was a recipient of an Officer Brian Shaw Scholarship, which reimburses graduates from the Allegheny County Police Training Academy. Brian Shaw graduated from the academy in 2014, and worked for the Frazer police department for two years before joining the New Kensington police in June 2017. He was killed in the line of duty in November 2017. Brian Shaw’s brother, Steffan Shaw Jr., also formerly worked for Frazer police.

Edwards was awarded the $6,000 Shaw scholarship during graduation ceremonies at the Allegheny County Police Academy in North Park in August. Frazer supervisors voted 3-0 to hire him as a part-time officer at their Tuesday meeting.

“We’re thrilled,” Supervisor Lori Ziencik said. “There’s a lot of departments that he could have gone to. A lot of departments have a shortage of part-time police officers, but he chose to come here. … And that speaks a lot for our chief, for a recipient of that that could have gone really to any department to choose to be trained under Chief (Terry) Kuhns.”

Edwards was not at the meeting and didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday.

“They were both great,” Ziencik said of the Shaws. “All of our part-time officers are great kids.”

Chief Kuhns said the department is happy to have Edwards, who has been doing field training for the past two weeks. With his official hire, the department is up to 11 part-timers and two full-timers. The full-time officers are Kuhns and Sgt. Aaron Scott.

The chief said he received Edwards’ state certification number on Tuesday, which means he is now able to perform all normal police duties such as filing criminal complaints and making arrests.

This is the first time Frazer police have hired a Shaw scholarship award recipient, according to Kuhns. This is also Edwards’ first police job.

Edwards graduated last year with a bachelor’s degree in criminology and justice administration from the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown.

“Steve had come highly recommended by the entire Shaw family,” Kuhns said. “I think the Shaw family recommended him here because both Steffan and Brian Shaw worked here.”