Fostoria police honor detective and prosecutor after fentanyl case; Officer Cole Nops named officer of the year

Police Chief Wedge presented a distinguished service award to Detective Kyle Reinboldt and Seneca County prosecutor Stephanie Kaiser on behalf of the department on the evening the Fostoria City Council met. The awards recognized work on a roughly 2018 fentanyl-related death that led to the conviction of a defendant identified in council remarks as Michael Toney. Chief Wedge said he turned the case over to Detective Reinboldt when Reinboldt became the department’s drug detective in 2023 and credited Reinboldt and Prosecutor Kaiser with obtaining the conviction. Family member Martha, whose daughter died in February 2018, addressed the council and described the case and its impact: “A deadly dose of fentanyl is equivalent to about 3 to 6 grains of salt. You have no idea what you’re taking,” she said. Wedge also announced the department’s officer of the year for 2024, Officer Cole Nops. Wedge presented department statistics as part of the award: the department recorded 1,479 traffic stops in 2024, and Nops alone conducted 550 of those stops (about 37 percent of the department total). Wedge told the council Nops handled about 1,300 calls for service, issued 293 traffic citations, made roughly 160 arrests and was involved in approximately 20 felony drug seizures that included “over a 116 grams of cocaine, 60 grams of methamphetamine,” along with heroin and fentanyl seizures. Wedge also noted Nops drew national attention for a high-profile vehicle pursuit described in department remarks as the “great corn chase.” Martha described the years she spent seeking action on her daughter’s death, saying she partnered with multiple agencies and started a foundation called Angie’s Wish. She told the council the indictment and later conviction gave her family “a name” for her daughter’s case and expressed gratitude to the investigators and prosecutor who pursued it. No council vote was required for the awards. Chief Wedge and the family indicated the defendant’s appeal was heard the same day as the council meeting. The awards and the officer recognition were presented during the council’s public portion and were followed by photographs and brief public comment.