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District 2's Davis, Grotjohn earn thanks from FBI

Two ITD District 2 employees, Jeff Davis and J.R. Grotjohn (pictured below), earned thanks from the Salt Lake City division of the FBI for assistance in mid-August with a flat tire on the bureau's Lenco Bear Cat, a specialized armored vehicle necessary for a series of planned arrests and searches.

The Salt Lake City Division of the FBI covers Utah, Idaho and Montana, geographically one of the largest FBI offices in the country. Because of this, bureau agents travel long distances to accomplish their assigned duties.

Grotjohn and Davis, both operations technicians from the Lewiston Maintenance shed, met with the FBI's tactical team Aug. 13 to assess the tire. Because of the specialized nature of the vehicle and its "run flat" tire, the agents from the bureau were not sure if they could get the tire repaired in time for a planned operation.

Grotjohn and Davis removed the damaged tire from the vehicle and helped transport the very large, heavy tire.

"What initially began as a 'routine' tire change became an increasingly complicated process due to the 'run flat' system in the tire," explained Eric Barnhart, Special Agent in Charge. "J.R. and Jeff used their mechanical knowledge to assess the problem and came up with a solution."

"Their skill and assistance ultimately corrected the problem and they were able to finally get the tire repaired. Without their help, knowledge of community resources and patience, the agents do not believe they would have been able to have the tire repaired in such a short time," Barnhart added.

"I want to personally thank you and commend J.R. and Jeff for their assistance," he said. "Their help ensured our agents had the equipment they required to safely and successfully complete their mission."