The Cyber Star - May 2019

SPECIAL EDITION NEWSLETTER

May 2019

Dear Friend,

On April 11, 2019, we recognized the agency members who went above and beyond during 2018 delivering professional services to the people of Polk County during our annual awards ceremony.

The deputies who serve Polk County are proud to serve you, and they take annual training to ensure that they provide the best customer service to you. They see people at their worst, children when they're hurt, work in horrible weather conditions, and often times they are required to make split-second life-or-death decisions. Our detention deputies walk the halls of the jails every day, monitoring the worst of the worst offenders, ensuring their safety and security, regardless of the crimes those suspects have committed. Our nearly 1,000 civilian members are the silent heroes in the background, doing whatever it takes to support our law enforcement and detention members.

I am proud of the work they do, and I hope that you are too.

Please enjoy these pictures and descriptions of our award recipients, and join me in recognizing these agency members who displayed bravery, selflessness, intuition, and life-saving actions last year. Thank you as always for your support.

Sincerely,

Grady Judd, Sheriff

Members of the Year

Congratulations to the following agency members who were nominated for and who were named Member of the Year 2018:

Rick Brown

Volunteer of the Year

In 2018, Rick logged over 2,300 hours and saved over $79,000 working as a Volunteer Sheriff's Service Officer.

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Mylyn Roberts

Civilian of the Year and Life Saving Medal recipient

Mylyn saved the life of a woman in Orlando who was choking, by using the Heimlich maneuver - a skill she learned during annual civilian training at the Sheriff's Office; Mylyn was off-duty at the time, at a Christian retreat.

Katy McArthur

Runner-up for Civilian of the Year and

Meritorious Service Medal recipient

for her exemplary work as a purchasing supervisor throughout the year on several projects, one of which saved the agency $19,000.

Richard Schreck

Runner-up for Civilian of the Year and

Meritorious Service Medal recipient

As Food Service Administrator, Richard implemented a new jail menu, meal purchasing plan, and meal service plan, saving the agency approximately $100,000.

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Detention Deputy Christopher Comeau

Detention Deputy of the Year and

Life Saving Medal recipient

Deputy Comeau quickly intervened as an inmate tried to take his own life, stopping the bleeding and saving the inmate's life.

Sergeant John Seiler

Runner-up for Detention Deputy of the Year and

Life Saving Medal recipient

Sgt. Seiler quickly intervened when an inmate tried to take his own life, saving the inmate's life.

Detention Deputy Lakebra Hugan

Runner-up for Detention Deputy of the Year and

Life Saving Medal recipient

She used CPR to save an inmate's life.

Detention Deputy LaQuasha Myers

Runner-up for Detention Deputy of the Year and

Life Saving Medal recipient

She used CPR to save an inmate's life.

Detention Deputy Lindsay Villalta

Runner-up for Detention Deputy of the Year and

recipient of two Life Saving Medals

She used CPR to save one inmate's life, and used an AED & did chest compressions on another inmate who stopped breathing.

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Deputy Sheriff Josh Anderson

Deputy Sheriff of the Year and

Medal of Honor recipient

Deputy Anderson, along with Deputies Hartgraves & Stephens, performed heroically in the line of duty, saving the lives of citizens who were being threatened by an active shooter.

Deputy Sheriff Darrell Hartgraves

Deputy Sheriff of the Year and

Medal of Honor recipient

Deputy Hartgraves, along with Deputies Anderson & Stephens, performed heroically in the line of duty, saving the lives of citizens who were being threatened by an active shooter.

Deputy Sheriff Scott Stephens

Deputy Sheriff of the Year and

Medal of Honor recipient

Deputy Stephens, along with Deputies Anderson & Hartgraves, performed heroically in the line of duty, saving the lives of citizens who were being threatened by an active shooter.

Deputy Sheriff Jake Coggins

Runner-up for Deputy Sheriff of the Year and

Medal of Honor recipient

Deputy Coggins, along with Master Deputy Paul Wright, performed heroically in the line of duty, saving the life of an armed suspect's daughter who then barricaded himself in his home & took his own life.

Master Deputy Sheriff Paul Wright

Runner-up for Deputy Sheriff of the Year and

Medal of Honor recipient

Master Deputy Wright, along with Deputy Jake Coggins, performed heroically in the line of duty, saving the life of an armed suspect's daughter who then barricaded himself in his home & took his own life.

Deputy Sheriff Nelson Medina

Runner-up for Deputy Sheriff of the Year and

Life Saving Medal recipient

Deputy Medina saved the life of a man using his AED & performing CPR until EMS arrived.

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Reserve Deputy Sheriff Mike McIntyre

Reserve Deputy of the Year

photo not shown due to undercover status

Medals of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest award presented by the Sheriff's Office, to a member who displays extreme conspicuous bravery or courage above and beyond the call of duty. This conduct shall occur in immediate life-threatening peril which places the member at extreme risk without regard for his or her personal safety, and in the interest of others. The act must demonstrate professional judgement which does not jeopardize the mission.

Deputies Anderson, Coggins, Hartgraves, Stephens, and Wright, who are all shown above, received Medals of Honor, as well as:

Deputies Joseph Hicks and Reginald Green

for their heroic actions in the line of duty, eliminating the threat of an armed suspect who was shooting at them.

Medals of Valor

The Medal of Valor is presented to the member who displays bravery or heroism above and beyond the call of duty. This conduct shall occur in life-saving, life-protecting situations for the members placed at risk. The act must demonstrate professional judgement which does not jeopardize the mission.

Deputy Sheriff Clifford Christello

Deputy Sheriff Clint Wofford

Detective Christy Smith

Detective Trent Medley

Sergeant Eric Daniel

Master Deputy Sheriff Preston Davis

Deputy Sheriff Aaron Motta

Master Deputy Sheriff Mark Pothier

Deputy Sheriff Lance Turley

Life Saving Medals

Life Saving Medals are presented to members who display bravery or courage above and beyond the call of duty. The member's immediate or alert action is directly responsible for sustaining or saving a human life, or removing a person from immediate danger when such danger would have taken the person's life. This is a life-saving, life-protecting situation which does not put the rescuing member's life in danger. Subsequent death of an individual after release to medical personnel shall not preclude awarding this medal.

Lieutenant Larry Roberts

Deputy Sheriff Aaron Motta
Master Deputy Sheriff Mark Pothier

Master Deputy Sheriff Jeff Bradford

Deputy Sheriff Antonio Canales

Deputy Sheriff Ray Roman

Deputy Sheriff Miles Plumley

Detention Deputy Christopher Comeau

Sergeant John Seiler

Detention Deputy Sherly Martinez

Detention Deputy Bibi Umar

Detention Deputy Lindsay Villalta

Deputy Sheriff Nelson Medina

Detention Deputy Lakebra Hugan

Detention Deputy LaQuasha Myers

Detention Deputy Lindsay Villalta

Lieutenant James Dort

Sergeant Vanessa Ricks

Detention Deputy Flavio Balmaceda

Detention Deputy Daniel Bennett

Detention Deputy Brynt Cagalawan

Detention Deputy Jose Roman

Detention Deputy Nathan Iwanyszyn

Detention Deputy James Kory

Detention Deputy Alfredo Kroll

Detention Deputy Eduardo Padilla-Ocasio

Detention Deputy Greg Rieger

Detention Deputy Michael Sumner

Ms. Mylyn Roberts

Meritorious Service Medals

Recipients of Meritorious Service Medals shall have distinguished themselves by performing exceptional service in a duty of great responsibility of critical importance to the Sheriff's Office. This is measured by contributing materially to the success of field or administrative operational goals. Guidelines for nominations are: substantial cost saving, increased efficiency, increased effectiveness, enhanced public image, improved safety of members, or technical innovation.

Sergeant Joe Hersey

Detective Briana Bolin

Sergeant Chris Mason

Sergeant Zoe Vizcarrondo

Deputy Sheriff Robbie Anderson

Deputy Sheriff James Jordan

Deputy Sheriff Randy Rolling

Deputy Sheriff Mark Smith

Ms. Jennifer Holm

Mr. Kirk Fasshauer

Chaplain Travis Risner

Ms. Angela Simonides

Ms. Mitzi Wickings

Major Loyd Stewart

Major Rick Wright

Ms. Anne Gibson

Ms. Donna Parker

Ms. Saba Rahmani

Lieutenant Marco Avila

Sergeant Joe Hersey

Sergeant Larry Traylor

Ms. Katy McArthur

Ms. Amy Parkins

Ms. Donna Wood

Ms. Teneica Barrett

Ms. Caterina Blackmon

Ms. Kim Bowman

Mr. Mario Cabrera

Master Deputy Keith Caratsole

Mr. Matt Costine

Ms. Tara Geller

Ms. Robin Jenkins

Ms. Kim Lawson

Ms. Alicia Manautou

Ms. Petrina McCutchen

Master Detention Deputy Pedro O'Farrill

Master Deputy Sheriff Carrie Powers

Mr. Jason Reuter

Mr. Jennifer Reynolds

Ms. Jessica Rousch

Ms. Caroline Stinson

Ms. Lyssa Stone

Sergeant Jeff Clark

Sergeant Chris Katsoulis

Detective Mario Hernandez

Master Deputy Sheriff Mark Walsh

Detective Josh Williams

Ms. Anne Gibson

Major Loyd Stewart

Mr. Mario Cabrera

Ms. Erica Joiner

Mr. Jason Reuter

Ms. Becky Touchton

Captain Bart Davis

Sergeant Kevin McGraw

Sergeant Kurt Walker

Mr. Richard Schreck

Marshall Anderson Awards

Members who distinguish themselves by their undaunted determination to overcome personal adversities and strive for proficiency and excellence in their daily lives and in the performance of their job duties are awarded the Marshall Anderson Award.

Detention Deputy David Anderson

Detention Deputy Sondra Alston

Special Recognition by Other Organizations