The DeKalb County Marines chose two of the area’s top police officers as Officers of the Year for their work organizing the Major Case Squad.

Kevin Hickey, DeKalb County Sheriff’s chief deputy, and DeKalb Police Lt. Jim Kayes started the Major Case Squad in 1998. Its team of 26 detectives covers homicides, kidnappings and crimes in which death or serious injury occurs, Hickey said.

Hickey said police felt the need for the task force after the 1996 murder of Shabbona teacher Amy Todd Fleming.

“We observed many shortcomings in the investigation, and we decided we needed to organize something better in the future,” Hickey said.

Kayes said a push for agencies to handle such investigations came after the 1993 Brown’s Chicken massacre in Palatine.

Hickey said the squad’s success is a result of the cooperation and support of the chiefs of police in DeKalb County, DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott and the caliber of detective the department has pulled together to form the squad.

He also credits the squad detectives.

“They’re the ones that make it work so well,” Hickey said.

Hickey and Kayes both said they were proud to receive the award, which was created last year and renamed this year in honor of the late Leon Keutzer. Keutzer was one of DeKalb County’s most dedicated Marines, said Roger Wiley, Marine senior vice commander.

It is up to the police chief of each municipality to make nominations. The Marine Corps League Detachment is responsible for selecting the winners, Wiley said.

Hickey has been with the sheriff’s office for 29 years. Kayes has worked with the DeKalb Police Department for 30 years – he was promoted to lieutenant in 1994.

Kayes said he was grateful to receive the award.

Hickey said he was overwhelmed when he heard the news.

“It’s such an honor to be the co-recipient of an award given by the Marine Corps, who I have such respect for,” he said.

The award was given to Hickey and Kayes at the DeKalb Marine Corps’ mid-winter dance on Jan. 29 at the Veterans of Foreign Wars in DeKalb.