MADISON, Wisconsin — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin honored Detective Jordan Trundle of the Fitchburg Police Department with a DOJ-sponsored Hometown Hero Award, according to a federal press release.

The office said the award is part of a Department of Justice recognition tied to America’s 250th birthday and is meant to honor law-enforcement service in local communities. In Trundle’s case, the recognition centered on his work as a task force officer with ATF Madison’s Crime Gun Task Force.

Recognition tied to crime-gun work

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the task force was formed to reduce gun violence by removing handguns from felons, drug traffickers and other prohibited persons, and by targeting dangerous machine guns and conversion devices in Wisconsin communities.

Federal officials said Trundle has worked with the task force since July 2024 and helped make the Fitchburg Police Department a model agency for processing crime guns. The release said he streamlined internal procedures for documenting and analyzing firearms used in federal and state crimes, and also trained fellow officers on the new procedures.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Trundle personally opened approximately two dozen federal firearms cases that led to 18 indictments. ThinBlueNews is not adding case allegations beyond the federal release.

“One of our absolute best”

“Today we honor one of our absolute best,” U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma said in the release. “The Western District of Wisconsin is proud to recognize Detective Trundle for his exceptional work and service to his fellow Wisconsinites.”

Elgersma said Trundle is an “extraordinary example” of what a law-enforcement officer can be and expressed gratitude for his continued service.

The release also noted that Fitchburg Police Department recognized Trundle in May 2024 for outstanding service during a shots-fired incident. It said he has participated in the department’s Citizens Academy, including demonstrations on building-clearing tactics and K-9 apprehension.

Why this story matters

For ThinBlueNews readers, the story highlights a law-enforcement lane that often happens outside public view: methodical firearms-case work, task-force coordination, evidence processing, officer training and local procedures that can affect gun-violence cases long before a courtroom headline appears.

The award photo is an official U.S. Attorney’s Office image from the ceremony. ThinBlueNews used that real source image with visible source labeling rather than creating synthetic police artwork.

Sources reviewed

Editorial note: This article is based on the U.S. Attorney’s Office release and official DOJ source photo. It attributes claims directly, avoids adding unsourced case details, and uses a real award-event image rather than AI-generated officer imagery.