Officer Brian Shaw scholarship awarded to police cadet from Kennedy Township

The Officer Brian Shaw Memorial Scholarship was awarded to a new cadet who graduated from the Allegheny County Police Academy on Friday.

Shaw, of Lower Burrell, was a New Kensington police officer who was shot and killed after a traffic stop and foot chase in 2017. He was 25 years old.

Daniel Pelescak, 24, of Kennedy Township, was awarded the $6,000 scholarship which includes tuition and equipment. Awardees receive the money only after they complete the rigorous training at the academy, said Leslie Zellers, secretary for the scholarship fund.

The scholarship was established in 2018 to honor Shaw’s memory and his focus on community-oriented policing. A memorial scholarship motorcycle ride, set for Aug. 21 this year, raises the money for the fund.

Pelescak was one of 22 cadets who graduated from the Allegheny County Police Academy on Friday, according to Zellers, who attended the graduation ceremony with other scholarship fund officials.

Pelescak is the fifth police officer to win the scholarship, which pays for training and expenses for those cadets who are reimbursed after they have paid for the training out their own pockets, Zellers said.

The scholarship committee chose Pelescak because of the strength of his essay and character, she said.

“We feel it’s important that scholarship candidates embody the qualities that Brian had and that is the kind of police officer we need today,” she said.

Qualities include integrity, honesty, a passion for community policing and relationship building, Zellers said.

Winning the scholarship and being around the same age as Shaw when he was killed touched Pelescak. “He was a young officer just like me now,” he said. “He had a career ahead of him and was taken away too soon.

“I am grateful to the generosity of the Brian Shaw foundation,” he said. Pelescak said he recently received a job offer from a local police department.

The foundation will award another scholarship in December.

For details on the Shaw memorial scholarship ride, which includes an after-ride dinner open to the public with music, raffles, gift baskets and more, visit the foundation’s website to register. If participants register by July 31, T-shirt sizes can be reserved. Sponsorships are available.