Police Officer & Firefighter of the Year Named

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS (January 22, 2008) – The Rotary Club of Little Rock (Club 99) hosted the 16th annual Little Rock Police and Fire Department Awards today during the club’s weekly meeting in the Barry L. Travis Exhibition Hall of Robinson Convention Center in downtown Little Rock.

Each year, members of the Little Rock Police Department are recognized for their service. Firefighters with the Little Rock Fire Department were also recognized for the third year in the 16-year history of these awards. Meritorious Service and Bravery medals were awarded during the program as well as more than $5,000 in awards.

“We are honored to present these distinguished awards to the brave men and women who protect our city,” said Elizabeth Small, president of the Rotary Club of Little Rock and president of PDC Companies. “The motto of Rotary International is ‘Service Above Self’…and these individuals live up to this standard each and every day right here in our own community. The Rotary Club of Little Rock is dedicated to community service and is proud to recognize those who place their lives on the line every day for the citizens of our capital city.”

The “Regions Bank Police Officer of the Year” award was given to Officer Ted Adkins. Officer Adkins kept up with burglary trends, robbery trends and car break-ins in the Northwest Patrol Division during 2007. His efforts resulted in the arrest of twenty burglary suspects, twelve car break-in suspects, six robbery suspects and one homicide suspect. Officer Adkins trained six rookie officers and is recognized as an excellent role model for young officers. Officer Adkins received a $1,000 award, a wristwatch from Mary Healey’s Fine Jewelry and a special plaque from the Rotary Club and the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The “Metropolitan National Bank Firefighter of the Year” award was given to Firefighter/Engineer Eric Marsh. Marsh was the first African-American employee of the Russellville Fire Department when he started in 1984. During his time there he studied to become an Emergency Medical Technician-Ambulance. Firefighter/Engineer Marsh joined the Little Rock Fire Department in 1986 as a Firefighter/Engineer (as well as Emergency Medical Technician). He has been very active in youth programs. Marsh was a member of the Army National Guard for twenty-seven (27) years and is now the First Sergeant of the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Battalion 95th Training Division. Engineer/Firefighter Marsh received a $1,000 award, a wristwatch from Mary Healey’s Fine Jewelry, and the “Golden Axe” award presented by Little Rock Fire Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr.

The following awards were presented during the 16th annual Little Rock Police and Fire Department Awards:

Police Officers of the Month (2007)
Jan. Officer Ted Adkins
Officer Greg Quiller
Feb. Officer Kendrick Hawkins
Officer Tracy Ritchie
Mar. Officer Clay Hastings
Apr. Officer Sara Hicks
May Officer David Wilson
Officer Greg Quiller
Officer Donna Lesher
June Detective Mark Bryant
Officer Richard Goggans
July Officer Ralph Breshears
Aug. Officer Erica Patterson
Sep. Officer Jamie Parker
Oct. Officer Jacob Koehler
Nov. Officer James Wheeler
Dec. Officer Mark Ison

Firefighters of the Month (2007)
Jan. Battalion Chief Don Freeman
Captain Mitch Chism
Feb. Captain Roger Pool
Mar. Captain Eddie Tackett
Firefighter Shannon Towns
Apr. Firefighter Scott Wingert
Engineer Daniel Callaway
May Firefighter Charles Austin
Captain Ronnie Hudson
Firefighter Brian Staggs
June Engineer Ron Paige
Captain Ray Templeton
Firefighter Scotty Sanford
Engineer Tim Bingston
July Captain Tony Springer
Aug. Firefighter Melissa Lester
Sep. Captain Roger Henley, Captain Britt Turner, Engineer Tim Dudley, Engineer Jason Ashmead, Firefighter Chad Johnson, Firefighter Rodney Rickett
Oct. Captain Ed Jaros
Nov. Engineer Brian Brown, Firefighter Jacob Lear-Sadowsky
Dec. Firefighter Clayton Brickley Owen

LITTLE ROCK POLICE DEPARTMENT

Commendation Award
Officer Jason Roberts, Officer Clark Sheffield, Officer Seth Thomas, Officer Sara Hicks, Detective Chris Ringgold, Officer Matt Murski, Lieutenant Casey Clark

Unit Commendation Award
LRPD SWAT Team
Northwest COPP/Mobile Unit
Southwest Patrol 3 to 11 Watch
Vice Unit

Life Saving Awards:
Officer Jason Roberts
Officer Michael McVay
Sergeant Christie Phillips
Officer Lee Moring
Officer David Bratton
Officer Chris McCauley
Officer Jacob Pasman


LRPD Civic Achievement Award
Officer Cindy Dycus

Medal of Merit
Officer Randy Brown

Police Shield Award
Officer Kevin Sexton

LRPD Rookie of the Year
Officer Michael Sing ($1,000)

LRPD Civilian Employee of the Year
Gay Spencer ($1,000)

Chief Lawrence Johnson Leadership Award
Sergeant Andre Dyer ($500)

LRPD Community Service Award
Officer Michelle Hill ($500)

LRPD Officer of the Year
Detective Ted Adkins

LITTLE ROCK FIRE DEPARTMENT

Firefighter of the Year
Engineer Eric Marsh ($1,000)

Life Saving Medal
Captain Eddie Tackett
Engineer Daniel Callaway
Engineer John Hogue
Firefighter Jim Cummins
Firefighter Jonathan Engelkis
Firefighter Anthony Barker
Firefighter Jeff Lentz
Firefighter Scott Wingert
Firefighter Shannon Towns

Outstanding Recruit 2006-2007 Class
Firefighter Clayton Brickley Owen ($1,000)

Good Samaritan Award
Captain Tony Springer

Community Service Ribbon
Captain Ronnie Hudson
Firefighter Brian Staggs
Engineer Ron Paige
Firefighter Charles Austin

Unit Citation Ribbons
BC 11
Battalion Chief Don Freeman
Rescue 2
Captain Mitch Chism
Engineer John Hogue
Firefighter Anthony Barker
Firefighter James Cummins
Firefighter Jeff Lentz
Firefighter Jonathan Engelkis
Engine 2
Captain Eddie Rhine
Engineer Jason Taylor
Firefighter Korey Isbell
Engine 11
Captain Allan Lowrey
Engineer Bob Hunthrop
Firefighter Chris Muncy
Engine 18
Captain Farrell New
Engineer Jason Golden
Firefighter Nathaniel Hartwick
Engine 19
Captain Ray Templeton
Firefighter Scotty Sanford
Firefighter Christopher Sanders
Haz-Mat 11
Captain Rickey New
Engineer Terry P. Henson
Firefighter Duane Smith
Truck 11
Captain Jerry Cobbs
Engineer Charles Hill
Firefighter Tim Baldridge
Truck 18
Captain William Watson
Engineer Richard Dixion
Firefighter Corey Littrell
Truck 15
Captain Britton Turner
Engineer Jason Ashmead
Firefighter Chad Johnson
Engine 15
Captain Roger Henley
Engineer Tim Dudley
Firefighter Rodney Rickett
Engine 7
Captain Bob Franklin
Engineer Brian K. Brown
Firefighter Jacob Lear-Sadowsky


The awards ceremony was established in 1991 to recognize the dedication and hard work of the brave men and women who serve Little Rock in the line of duty.


About The Rotary Club of Little Rock
The Rotary Club of Little Rock was established in 1914 by Sid Brooks, a Little Rock advertising executive and was the 99th chapter of Rotary International. The club has more than 500 members and is Arkansas’ largest and oldest civic organization. It is the sixth-largest Rotary Club among the more than 32,500 clubs in 168 countries. For more information about the Rotary Club of Little Rock, visit our website at www.littlerockrotary.com.

About Rotary International
Founded in 1905, Rotary International has 1.2 million members of more than 32,500 clubs in 168 countries. The Rotary International Foundation was founded in 1947 and has awarded more than $1.1 billion in humanitarian and educational grants, which are administered at the local level. Rotary projects address critical issues in communities around the world, including eradication, international education, peace and literacy. The Foundation has been the world’s leader in eradicating the polio virus worldwide. In late 1980s, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries. There are now only six countries with polio cases and the disease may be eradicated in 2008. For more information about the Rotary International, visit the website at www.rotary.org.


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