Photo By Robert Timmons | Fort Jackson Police Department Chief Ruben Santiago congratulates Ms. Melissa Draper,...... read more read more
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Fort Jackson runs smoothly by those who most people don’t often think of unless they are doing wrong – police officers.
The installation’s police department held its first awards presentation Friday to honor those Soldiers and civilians who keep the post safe.
“Tonight is about honoring you all in our profession of policing and law enforcement,” said Lt. Col. Johnny Sellers, director of Fort Jackson’s emergency services. “For all of us it is this career of service to our nation, community, and the people we serve. We are held to a higher standard that sometimes may not seem fair, but can take it as a compliment.
“You have been and will be called upon to display courage in the face of adversity,” Sellers said.
Soldiers and police officers earned a variety of awards ranging from being proficient at shooting, in excellent physical shape, conducting their jobs with utmost professionalism, and being a premier example to the Fort Jackson community.
One of the awards was named after Lt. Willie Wallace who passed last year. That award was given to the Soldier or officer who displayed the highest professionalism in their jobs.
Fort Jackson Police Chief Ruben Santiago said the award was presented to the employee who was most like Wallace.
“When we look back at 2016 and starting to recognize how great our team was, we started to recognize really quickly individuals who really exude professionalism. Every day they came in they had a great smile and attitude” like Lt. Wallace, Santiago said.
“As soon as you met Lt. Willie Wallace you instantly became his friend … not one day went by when he was working shifts that he didn’t always have a positive attitude.”
Wallace’s family was at the award ceremony to watch the award be presented.
Santiago lauded the efforts of his force adding everyone in the department should strive to get closer to the community as one of the efforts going into 2017.
Santiago called Officer of the Year Award as “deserving of almost everyone in our department. We look at what they do in the law enforcement community, but really enhance how the organization is evolving.”
Officer Joseph Al-Shaer won that award.
Santiago said during the event that the department will continue to look forward in 2017.
“We have a school resource officer slash community liaison,” he said about plans for the year. “But it’s our responsibility to all be community liaisons. To help motivate that, we are going to start giving each squad specific tasks to get involved with the community and talk to different folks.”
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Sidebar:
Physical Fitness Award
Officer Raymond P. Meals
Officer Keith A. Sutton
Staff Sgt. Martina M. Moore
Sgt. Kevin C. Wells
Marksmanship Award
Officer Samuel C. Knowles
Staff Sgt. Christopher C. Ollis
Civic Award
Investigator Zachary J. Jenkins
Staff Sgt. Johnathan R. Berta
Community Service Award
Staff Sgt. Christopher C. Ollis
Officer Lionel L. Brown
Police Shield Award
Investigator Roni L. Fiscus
Investigator Carlos E. Monday
Chief Award for Excellence
Melanie Collins
Civilian of the Year Award
Ms. Melissa M. Draper
Rookie of the Year
Spc. Nicolas F. George
Officer of the Year
Officer Joseph S. Al-Shaer
Lt. Willie Wallace Award for Professionalism
Sgt. Joel J. Henry
| Date Taken: | 01.26.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 01.27.2017 09:28 |
| Story ID: | 221594 |
| Location: | FORT JACKSON, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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