Cassie Cramer and Samantha Nash-St. John made history July 27.

That night, the two women were promoted from corporal to sergeant with the Excelsior Springs Police Department (ESPD) – the first time for any woman to reach that rank with the department.

“It wasn’t until 1982 that we had our first female police officer,” Chief Greg Dull said. “Tonight is another (notable) point in our department’s history; we will have not just one but two femalesergeants for the first time in our 180-year history of the department.”

Cramer, an ESPD officer since February 2012, was the first to be promoted. Her husband Josh pinned her badge.

“Corporal Cramer has constantly gone above and beyond to make sure the Excelsior Springs community has received the services that it needs,” Capt. Robert Warner said.

Warner also commended Cramer for her reliability and dependability.

“She always finds a way to help, even if it means taking time – valuable time – away from her family,” he said.

Before Nash-St. John was honored,

Kyle Craven was promoted from corporal to sergeant. His son Matthew pinned his badge.

“We knew that Excelsior Springs was his hometown, that he was an incredibly hard worker and was great to be around,” Warner said.

Warner also commented on Craven’s positive impact on the department’s work environment since starting in June 2021 as a school resource officer.

“He proved to be a caring, compassionate officer whose positivity and infectious personality made an immediate impact on everyone around him,” he said. “Officer Craven’s work ethic did not go unnoticed. Whatever challenges the school district and police department staff tasked him with, he did not only rise to the occasion; he would also go above and beyond when completing them.”

Nash-St. John, who started with the department in March 2019 as a school resource officer, was then pinned by her daughter, Oakleigh Nash.

“As she began her assignments at the schools, her fellow coworkers, school staff and students were immediately drawn to her friendly and energetic personality,” said Warner.

Warner also discussed the food pantry Nash-St. John had helped create and her idea for an app that has had a positive impact on students’ lives.

“She partnered with the school district social worker to form a food pantry in the middle school,” he recalled. “While working on the food pantry, she developed an idea to place an app on students’ school-issued iPads, allowing those who are struggling at home (to) obtain food and other necessities, (giving them) an opportunity to anonymously requestthose needed items.”

Cramer, Craven and Nash-St. John were among four officers promoted from corporal to sergeant. Scott Sickles concluded the ceremony, being pinned by his father Steve.

Sickles’ “unwavering commitment to law enforcement” was clear almost from his start with the department in July 2018, Warner said.

“Corporal Sickles displayed a strong work ethic, combined with the desire to learn and improve his overall knowledge within the criminal justice field,” he said.

Displaying a desire to lead, Sickles “successfully trained multiple officers and made a significant impact on them in a crucial point in their career” after becoming a field training officer in April 2021, Warner said. The captain also commented about Sickles’ selflessness after Sickles’ transfer to the investigative unit.

“Within a couple months of his transfer, the patrol divisions were confronted with a huge staffing shortage,” Warner said. “Once again, Corporal Sickles’ selfless character and commitment to the department was on display and he volunteered to step away from an assignment that he truly enjoyed in order to help thedepartment with this juncture.”