Contact: Susan Altrui

                                                                                                                    Phone: 501-351-0273

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Little Rock Fire and Police Department Best and Bravest Honored

for 22nd Year by Rotary Club of Little Rock

LITTLE ROCK – Inclement weather may not delay the Little Rock Police and Little Rock Fire Departments from carrying out their tasks, but it did delay the annual Rotary Club of Little Rock Fire and Police Awards program.  Ice and snow in March postponed this year’s event until today.

Rotary Club of Little Rock, Club 99, President Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl and Police Chief Stuart Thomas presented the awards to the outstanding police officers. The Officer of the Year Award (sponsored by Hank Kelley and Ed Willis) went to Officer Wayne Kelly. In 2013, he spent more than 1,920 hours training 51 recruits for the Little Rock Police Department.

Later this month, Chief Stuart Thomas will be retiring after leading the Little Rock Police Department since 2005. He joined the Little Rock Police Department in 1978.  At the luncheon, it was announced that the Officer of the Year Award will now be known as the Chief Stuart Thomas Officer of the Year. In addition, Chief Thomas was presented with gifts by the members of Club 99 in appreciation for his service.

Little Rock Fire Chief Gregory Summers and Club 99 President Vogelpohl participated in handing out the awards to the members of fire service.  The Firefighter of the Year award is sponsored by Delta Dental.  This year the award went to Captain Kevin Murphy and Engineer Jason Johnson who conducted a water rescue at Interstate Park. 

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There were several other Police Department awards presented.  The 2013 Noel Don McGuire Rookie of the Year award went Officer Andrew Hacker.  Officer Hacker was not present because he is currently on a military deployment. The Kimberly Finkelstein Memorial Civilian Employee of the Year was presented to Debra Pitts. The award is sponsored by Hugh Finkelstein.  The Chief Lawrence Johnson Leadership Award was presented to Lieutenant Marcus Paxton.  The Community Service Award went to Sergeant Ann Blackman Hinton. 

The 2013 Little Rock Fire Department Outstanding Recruit of the Year is Zachery Stookey. The Fire Marshal of the Year award went to Captain Warren Robinson. The Little Rock Fire Department Retiree of the Year award went to retired Captain Johnny Reep. Good Samaritan Awards were presented to retired Captain Robert Walla and to Regina Green.

It was also announced that members of Club 99 raised money to fund two $1,500 scholarships to aid both a Little Rock Firefighter and a Little Rock Police Officer as they are seeking a higher education degree. This is the first time these scholarships have been offered.

In addition numerous individual citations, unit citations and lifesaving medals were presented to both Little Rock Fire Department and Little Rock Police Department personnel.

Police Offices of the month were:

• January – Officer Ricky Fortner
• February – Officer Cody Miller & Officer James Anderson
• March – Officer Terry McDaniel
• April – Sergeant Andre Dyer
• May – Officer David Bratton & Officer Elisha Ramer
• June – Officer Marc Collins
• July – Officer Ronnie Morgan, Officer David Wilson, Officer Drew Garrison, Officer Jason Harris

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• August – Officer Seth Thomas & Officer J. McCauley
• September – Detective Paige Cline
• October – Officer Nicholas Kinsey & Officer Eric Hollister
• November – Officer Michael Harmeling
• December – Officer Thomas Yelland & Officer Curtis Van-Pelt

Firefighters of the month were:

• January - Captain John Hogue & Firefighter Jesse Clark
• February - Captain Dennis Davis
• March - Captain Jeff Lentz
• April - Captain Paul Beatty
• May - Engineer Gabe Beatty
• June - Engineer Richard Hudson
• July - Firefighter Brent Bufford & Firefighter Kalon Colclough
• August - Firefighter Jack Hancock
• September - Captain Mike Johnson & Firefighter Neil Dillard
• October - Firefighter Lorenzo Gill & Firefighter Bryan Segovis
• November - Captain Kevin Murphy, Engineer Jason Johnson, & Firefighter Braye Valentine
• December - Fire Marshals Division

Other awards presented during the luncheon were:

Fire Department:

Unit Citations:           Engines 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 20

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Trucks 7, 9, 15

Rescue 2

Individual Citations:            Engineer Joshua Hoelzeman, Firefighter Russell Lewis, Firefighter Jordan Fulmer, Captain John Hogue, Firefighter Stuart Swearingen, Captain Dennis Davis, Engineer Jason Johnson, Firefighter Gary Seibel, Captain Dan Calaway, Captain Mike Johnson, Firefighter Carl Smith, Captain Jonathan Engelkes

Life Saving Medals: Captain John Hogue, Firefighter Jesse Clark, Engineer Richard Hudson, Engineer Brent Bufford, Firefighter Kalon Colclough, Firefighter Jack Hancock, Firefighter Neil Dillard, Firefighter Lorenzo Gill, Firefighter Bryan Segovis, Firefighter Braye Valentine

Medal of Merit:          Firefighter Rick Crow, Firefighter Jesse Clark, Firefighter Jordan Fulmer, Firefighter Russell Lewis, Firefighter Jason Gammel

Bravery Medal:         Engineer Gabe Beatty, Captain Kevin Murphy, Engineer Jason Johnson

Police Department

Life Saving Award:  Officer Debra Attkisson, Officer Ryan Hudson, Sergeant Harold Scratch, Sergeant Stee Woodall, Officer William Farnam, Officer James Stanchak, Lieutenant Heath Helton, Oficer Kevin Sexson, Officer Greg Key, Officer Mark Ison

Civic Engagement:  Officer Kenneth Baker, Officer Eric Barnes, Officer Brittany Gunn, Lieutenant Heath Helton, Officer Caesi Holt, Sergeant Zack Farley, Officer Jennifer Freeman, Officer Michelle Hill, Officer Jeff Holt, Detective Rick Kiser, Officer Kelly Lepore, Officer Tarrance Rawls

Commendation:       Detective Benard Bizzell, Detective Keneth Blankenship, Detective Chris Littleton, Detective Christian Sterka, River Market District Unit

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