The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Recognizes March Employees of the Month

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office recognized six employees of the month and presented two Lifesaving Awards at the monthly meritorious awards ceremony held March 26, 2009. Two Certificates of Appreciation were awarded to citizens who assisted the JSO, and Sheriff Rutherford was presented with a certificate from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

"Each month I am humbled by the dedication that our employees demonstrate as they carry out the day-to-day operations of the JSO. When we tell the stories about the men and women in our community, such as 14-year-old Jamar Williams assisting others, it reassures all of us that Jacksonville is a caring community where people look out for each other. It is my pleasure to have the opportunity to recognize all of our award recipients each month," said Sheriff John Rutherford.

Police Officer of the Month~ Sponsored by Burger King; Detective Tracy A. Stapp; Crime Scene Unit
On Aug. 5, 2008, Delores Futrel was found lying dead on the floor of her living room. Evidence Technicians Det. Tracy A. Stapp and Det. Dewayne Gray responded to the scene and began collecting evidence, and the evidence was submitted to FDLE for possible DNA matches.

On Aug. 31, 2008, Randall Deviney was brought in for questioning for the murder of Delores Futrel. When confronted with the overwhelming evidence against him, evidence collected by Ofc. Stapp, Deviney confessed to the murder.

Corrections Officer of the Month~ Sponsored by Coggin Automotive; Corrections Officer Teddy Clayman; Pre-Trial Detention Facility
Corrections Officer Teddy Clayman works in the Intake and Releasing area (ITR) of the Pre-Trial Detention Facility. Through his years of experience he has developed an uncanny ability to detect unusual behavior.

On Sept. 20, 2008, Ofc. Clayman assisted in processing an inmate who became progressively nervous and uneasy. Ofc. Clayman believed the inmate was hiding something that had not been found in the initial search. He attempted to conduct a more thorough search of the inmate.

The inmate pulled a baggie filled with cocaine from his person, and put it in his mouth to swallow. Several officers assisted Ofc. Clayman in getting the inmate to spit out the baggie. Ofc. Clayman successfully stopped a potentially dangerous situation in the PTDF.

Civilian Employee of the Month~ Sponsored by Solantic; Tiffany Mackey; Community Affairs- Police Athletic League
Beginning in February of 2008, Tiffany Mackey led the planning of the successful PAL Volunteer Recognition Banquet that was held on May 3, 2008.

From April to August 2008, Mackey planned and executed the PAL Summer Program by coordinating a mandatory mentor training for the police officers and civilian counselors. She also developed  themes for each week's camp, while directly overseeing the individual curriculums created by the on-site camp coordinators. 

Ms Mackey also coordinates the annual Sheriff's Cup Golf Tournament fundraiser and silent auction which grossed more than $80,000 for PAL. This is in addition to her regular duties as the program manager for PAL's nine sports programs.

Reserve Officer/Volunteer of the Month~ Sponsored by Nimnicht Chevrolet; Reserve Officer Charles K. Haas
Reserve Officer Charles K. Haas dedicated 38 years of his life to volunteering with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. In 2008 Ofc. Haas volunteered more than 1255 hours as an additional law enforcement presence at Ed White High School where he assists School Resource Officer Grover Smith.

Throughout the school day, Ofc. Haas assists in arrests that include violence against an SRO, resisting arrest, and illegal drugs on campus. He also assists the SRO when confronting potentially armed suspects and attends after-hours athletic events at the school to offer an additional law enforcement presence.

Police Supervisor of the Month~ Sponsored by Stein-Mart; Sergeant Randall L. Crews,
Zone 3
Police Sgt. Randall Crews received the Police Supervisor of the Month award because he is a proven leader in his Zone. He has continually managed one squad of officers and scheduled Zone 3, Watches One, Two and Three for In Service Training, semiannual firearms requalification and roll call trainings.

Sgt. Crews maintains a professional demeanor and produces outstanding results while managing a heavier than normal workload.

Due to a previous committment, Sgt. Crews was unable to attend the awards ceremony.

Corrections Supervisor of the Month~ Sponsored by First Coast Security Services, Inc; Corrections Sergeant George C. Pratt; Pre-Trial Services Unit
In September of 2008, Corrections Sergeant George C. Pratt became involved in a project to bring JSO into compliance with the newly enacted Florida State Statute 907.043 Pre-Trial Release: "Citizens' Right to Know."

At the beginning of the project, it was thought that ensuring compliance would require a review of all of the Pre Trial Detention Facilities Releasing processes and coordination with several other units. However, because of Sgt. Pratt's expertise in the subject, he was able to revise the current Pre-Trial Services Unit Forms to collect the necessary information and develop a spreadsheet to capture all of the information in a clear and concise weekly report that satisfies FSS 907.043 requirements. George was able to complete the project in two weeks and kept the work solely within his unit at no additional cost to taxpayers.

Certificate of Appreciation
Nathaniel Rarey, Store Manager, Wal-Mart
For the past two years, at the direction of Store Manager Nathan Rarey, the Wal-Mart on Philips Highway has been an invaluable corporate supporter of the JSO/PAL sponsored Holiday Party for the children who live at the I.M. Sulzbacher Center during the holidays.

In 2007 and 2008, the JSO, PAL, and JFRD partnered to hold a Christmas party at the Wal-Mart on Philips Highway for the children who were living at the I.M. Sulzbacher Center at that time. Corporate and private donations provided the funds so each child received a generous gift card. Mr. Rarey's store has donated more than $7,000 to the events, and his staff, under his direction, generously donated their time to wrap individual presents for each child.

Certificate of Appreciation
Jamar Williams
On Dec. 6, 2008, Police Officer David Brown was dispatched to an automobile crash at the Fortuna Senior Center in Zone 2. When Ofc. Brown arrived at the scene, he spoke to 14-year-old Jamar Williams. Jamar witnessed an 83-year-old woman get into her car and accelerate forward, over a concrete barrier, through a parking lot and into a tree. The car overturned and Jamar ran to he woman's aid, pulling her from the car. His actions kept the woman from receiving further injuries as a result of the accident, as gasoline was leaking from her vehicle.

Lifesaving Award
Police Officer Gregg L. Mattson; Zone 1
(photo left)
On Nov. 11, 2008, Police Officer Gregg L. Mattson was dispatched to a house fire. He was the first officer to arrive at the scene and realized that the rear of the home was on fire with smoke billowing out the windows and doors.

Ofc. Mattson noticed a woman in a wheelchair attempting to escape through the front door of the home. He ran to the woman, freed her from the doorway and lifted her and her wheelchair off of the front porch and safely to the street. Ofc. Mattson's quick action saved the woman from serious injury or possibly a fatality, according to witnesses and JFRD.

Lifesaving Award
Police Officer Stephen C. Rhatigan; Seaport Unit (photo right)
On May 11, 2008, while off duty at the Florida Tackle and Gun Club, Police Officer Stephen C. Rhatigan was alerted to an emergency in the kitchen. Ofc. Rhatigan, along with retired JFRD Chief John Bunn, went to the kitchen and found a man lying on the floor with no pulse and not breathing. The men began CPR on the man and continued their efforts until Rescue arrived. Once the man was defibrillated by Rescue his heartbeat and pulse returned to normal. The man was transported to St. Lukes Hospital for further treatment.

Certificate from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
Sheriff John H. Rutherford; Jacksonville Sheriff's Office
During the ceremony, Sheriff John H. Rutherford was presented with the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) certificate. This certificate represents meritorious distinction with this being the agency's fifth certificate. The program is the primary method for an agency to voluntarily demonstrate their commitment to excellence in law enforcement. The certificate demonstrates that the JSO met 100 percent of the 459 standards of the CALEA Accreditation Program and has proven itself as a law enforcement agency that delivers professional public safety services. The JSO is one of 32 law enforcement agencies nationwide recognized as a Triple Crown accredited law enforcement agency. The Triple Crown is given to law enforcement agencies that achieve simultaneous accreditation from CALEA, the American Correctional Association (ACA) and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC). The JSO received the Triple Crown award in 1997 and has continued to maintain the required accredited status.