06/03/2026
On June 2, 2026, the American Legion – Lt Ray Dickop Post 36 West Bend recognized Officer Kent Voll as the 2025 American Legion Officer of the Year for West Bend. Thank you to the West Bend American Legion for recognizing our officers and their continued efforts to serve the City of West Bend.
Officer Kent Voll was appointed to the West Bend Police Department on October 6, 1996. He is currently assigned to uniformed patrol, primarily working the 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. shift. Throughout his career, Kent has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to professionalism, service, and community engagement.
Kent’s most important role in life is providing for his family. He and his wife, Sarah, have two children, Kyle and Abigail. The compassion, responsibility, and dedication he shows to his family extend naturally into his work, making him not only an outstanding police officer but also a trusted and respected pillar of the community.
Kent has dedicated his entire adult life to protecting and serving others. He began his service career as a lifeguard during high school and later worked for the West Bend Parks Department while attending college, marking the start of a long-standing commitment to the City of West Bend. Kent also served for many years as a paid-on-call firefighter with the West Bend Fire Department and drove school bus routes for children in the community. Each of these roles has shaped the way Kent approaches his duties as a police officer, reinforcing his sense of responsibility, attention to safety, and care for others.
Kent is very dependable. Kent specifically requests to work in the beat area of the city with the highest volume of calls for service. He maintains a high level of self-initiated activity, traffic stops, store patrols, door checks, etc. Kent rarely uses sick time. He consistently volunteers overtime to assist with special events, emergency staffing, and other times as needed to cover co-workers’ shifts. In 2007, Kent was awarded the department’s Meritorious Service Award for his role in apprehending individuals responsible for passing counterfeit currency at local businesses. This recognition highlighted his exceptional attention to detail, which is one of the many defining strengths he continues to bring to his work daily.
Kent has been assigned to Bicycle Patrol for over 26 years and has been a member of the Honor Guard since its formation in 2009. His dedication to the Honor Guard has made him an integral part of nearly every Line of Duty Death and retiree funeral attended by the West Bend Police Department. Additionally, Kent has served as a Field Training Officer (FTO) since 2007.
In his role as an FTO, Kent provides new officers with unique and well-rounded training experience, offering perspectives shaped by his diverse service background. Beyond teaching investigative skills and general police duties, Kent emphasizes attention to detail and professionalism. He instills the importance of the “little things,” ensuring squads are clean, properly equipped, and always prepared for the next shift.
Kent consistently trains and refines his specialized skills associated with his assignment to both the department’s Drone Team and Field Force Team. These assignments emphasize Kent’s willingness to respond on short notice and assist the department and demonstrate his dedication, adaptability, and drive. Kent continues to emphasize these characteristics of himself by goal setting. Kent’s five-year goal is to remain competent and relevant through the remainder of his career. Kent has put a focus on adapting to the changing technology and tactics in law enforcement, ensuring he remains an effective police officer.
Beyond his law enforcement duties, Kent remains actively involved as a volunteer within Washington County. He has been a member of the Friends of the Slinger Library since 2015, an appointed member of the Slinger Library Board since 2023 and has served as an Elder at Pilgrim Lutheran Church since 2024. Kent has turned his love of reading and his faith into meaningful opportunities to give back and serve others.
Kent Voll is a valued and trusted member of the West Bend Police Department. One of his greatest strengths is his humility. With more than three decades of service, Kent continues to strive for excellence through self-reflection and a constant desire to do better, do more, and give more. He remains one of the most active officers assigned to patrol and clearly views his role as a public servant as both important and fulfilling.
Officer Kent Voll embodies the values and requirements the American Legion has established for this prestigious recognition.
Pictured is Kent receiving his award from American Legion Post 36 Commander Charlie Young.
