As Police Chief Chuck Broadway read the accomplishments of the 2018 Award recipients, everyone attending the Clermont City Council meeting on Tuesday evening was filled with great pride, admiration and gratitude to the men and women of the Clermont Police Department (CPD).
Below are the names of the 2018 Clermont Police Department’s Award recipients. Chief Broadway described the reasons why these men and women of the CPD were recognized for their outstanding performance.
Officer Michelle Rogers – Community Service Award
Officer Rogers has fully committed herself to this unit and community. She works closely with several organizations to provide services to the people of Clermont. She has partnered with Real Life Church’s Real Help to provide boxes of clothing, food and other items to less fortunate families. She has worked with New Beginnings to find employment to those seeking jobs. She routinely met with homeless individuals to assess needs. She also spoke with victims of domestic violence to provide guidance and services. During the calendar year of 2018, Officer Rogers assisted a mother of four who was in an abusive relationship and, due to Officer Rogers’ efforts, the mother and children were provided inexpensive housing and Officer Rogers walked her through the ex-parte process.
Officer Rogers is an officer that thinks outside of the box. She helped to initiate a “citation” program designed to use patrol units to “catch” youth conducting good behavior. The officer would give the youth a “citation” for the good behavior as well as a dessert voucher from one of our local food establishments. This not only promotes good behavior but also positive interaction with the police. She also has organized the Toy’s 4 Trunks campaign which equips our patrol cars with donated toys to hand out to children in need or who experienced a traumatic event. She assisted Officer Colon in the Oakhurst initiative.
Officer David Colon – Community Service Award/Spirit Award
Officer Colon is deeply involved in the community. Specifically, he has been assigned the task of assessing the improvement needs of the Lincoln Park Community. He quickly assessed a need in a particular area which is the Oakhurst Subdivision. This community had several calls for service to include nuisance calls such as noise complaints, loitering, parking issues, suspicious subjects and drug and alcohol violations. He worked hand-in-hand with the residents and homeowners to organize a security/homeowners committee. Proactive policing along with problem-solving methods such as crime prevention through environmental design, Officer Colon, along with the community, identified the best way to improve the area for the residents while reducing crime. He approached several businesses who have offered to provide material and/or monetary support towards the improvement of this community. Ultimately, through several donations and volunteer hours, the community was improved through beautification efforts such as organized trash cleanups and exterior painting. As a result of these combined efforts, nuisance crimes dropped to almost non-existent and other more serious violations were reduced. This has not only gained local attention but statewide, national and international attention. The Office of the President recognized the Clermont Police Department for using such community-based methods in accordance with the President’s Task Force Report on 21stCentury Policing. Visit Oakhust Project to learn more.
Officer Phillip Pollen Lifesaving Award
A certified Hostage negotiator and certified in crisis intervention.
On Wednesday, December 19th, 2018 at approximately 0204 hours, units responded to the Circle K located on Highway 27, in reference to a suicidal subject who made statements that he intended to kill himself once law enforcement arrived.
Officer Pollen was able to make contact with the subject over the phone. The subject was emotionally distraught, stating he had recently lost a loved one, lost his job, was diagnosed with cancer and was intent on ending his own life.
Officer Pollen worked diligently using multiple strategies while trying to develop a rapport with him and keep him from killing himself. After approximately an hour and a half, Officer Pollen was able to convince him to come out of his vehicle and he was able to be secured unharmed, for a Law Enforcement Baker Act. A loaded handgun was recovered from the subject.
Officer Pollen is to be commended for his dedication, empathy and commitment to preventing a suicide.
Sergeant Jason Sayre – Life-Saving Award
Sgt. Jason Sayre was off duty in Tavares at the Hickory Point Recreational Park with his family, coaching soccer. Sgt. Sayre noticed a commotion on an adjacent field and ran over to the crowd where he quickly realized there was a child choking with obvious airway obstruction. The child was not breathing, and turning blue. Sgt. Sayre quickly used the Heimlich maneuver and was able to dislodge the item, opening the child’s airway.
He never mentioned this incident. It was only because of the calls from spectators that his actions were realized.
Laura Turk- Civilian Employee of the Year (celebrating 25 years of service this May)
Laura serves as the Records Coordinator for CPD and is responsible for ensuring compliance with various public records laws and retention schedules. In this past year, Laura has accomplished the following: She spearheaded the conversion process of our paper records to digital file keeping; assisted in creating a new quality control process of report review and volunteering to be the final reviewer; recommended a procedure within our report writing system that improved the integrity and security within the RMS; maintains the UCR, ensuring the integrity and transparency of our reporting; and continually provides exceptional services to the Clermont community as well as internal coworkers. She has received 5 letters of commendations for her actions.
Laura has received praise from various organizations who rely on CPD records division to fingerprint personnel for their background processes.
Sgt Strickland said, “Laura routinely goes out of her way to provide for positive customer experiences. She is an invaluable member of this agency and the City of Clermont”.
Sergeant David Johnson- Supervisor of the Year
Sgt. Johnson has been employed with the Clermont Police Department for over 8 years and has shown tremendous dedication to the Clermont Police Department and the Citizens of Clermont through his leadership. During 2018, Sgt. Johnson was promoted to Sergeant and has made an immediate impact in his new role. As a supervisor, Sgt. Johnson has displayed exemplary leadership, he has worked hard to meet the expectations of his position, and has performed admirably in this role.
Sgt. Johnson has worked hard to develop officers under his command. He has trained 3 officers who are all taking on leadership roles and will constantly seek opportunities to mentor others. He also empowers his Officers and has been very effective in improving officer morale, increasing professionalism, creating more pride in work product and better overall job satisfaction. Officers on his squad have tremendous respect for his willingness to step in to assist them in their day-to-day tasks.
Sgt. Johnson is one of the most dependable and reliable supervisors and is very deserving of the supervisor of the year award!
Police Officer Jeremiah Avila – Officer of the Year
Officer Avila is coming up on 4 years with the Clermont Police Department this August. He has accomplished a lot during his years with the CPD. He is a very proactive Officer who displays an exemplary balance of serving our community and protecting our community and does it with a smile. He recently became one of the newest members of the SWAT team. He also was selected to serve as an FTO.
During the calendar year of 2018, Officer Avila testified in a major trial as one of the main witnesses. The defendant was arrested in 2016 for an armed robbery. Due to his testimony and thorough documentation of the incident, the defendant was sentenced to 20 years of prison.
On 11/10/18, there was an armed robbery at Marco’s Pizza. That evening one suspect was arrested but one was on the run. The following morning, Officer Avila located the second suspect and placed him under arrest. The suspect had evidence and money in his possession that was taken during the armed robbery.
Officer Avila has worked and participated at several community events including Tip A Cop, Lights and Ladders, the LETR for Special Olympics and spearheaded our involvement in a fitness competition in Apopka to raise funds and awareness for cystic fibrosis.
He has received numerous letters from members of the community praising him for his efforts and actions.
And last but certainly not least…
Officer Avila responded to the New Beginnings property on Citrus Tower Blvd. for a theft of a wheelbarrow.
The employee explained that the wheelbarrow is used for the community to help the homeless and those in need
Officer Avila took the theft report but it didn’t end there. He went to Lowes and purchased a wheelbarrow with his own money. He then called the employee to tell him to pick up the wheelbarrow at Lowes and that the wheelbarrow was paid for.
We never would have known about this if it wasn’t for the New Beginning’s employee who was so moved by his kind gesture and dropped off a thank you note for Officer Avila.
Officer Avila does not seek to be recognized and still has not said anything about what he did.
He received a letter from a citizen that he assisted during a vehicle crash. The citizen called Officer Avila an “Ambassador of Goodwill”.
