|
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
today recognized four Division of Law Enforcement staff members for outstanding
job performance, announcing the Officer of the Year, Agent of the Year, Employee
of the Year, and Manager of the Year for 2010 at the Division of Law
Enforcement’s annual Holiday Luncheon and Awards Ceremony.
“I am proud to have such hard-working and committed members on my team who
continue to give one hundred percent each day in their respective duties,” said
DEP Division of Law Enforcement Director Henry Barnet. “These four individuals
have far exceeded our expectations and truly deserve the honor that accompanies
the awards they were presented.”
The four division awards winners were selected based upon job performance,
public service, improving coordination or cooperation within or outside the
division and setting a positive example.
Awards were presented to the following employees:
Officer of the Year - Officer Garrett Creamer, Bureau of Park Police
Northwest District, has been a member of the division for more than two years.
On two separate occasions this year, Officer Creamer acted to save lives, render
aid, and obtain medical assistance for the victims. In May, he was the first on
scene at a traffic crash and extinguished a fire that nearly destroyed a vehicle
that still had victims trapped inside. In June, Officer Creamer’s quick thinking
and ability to act saved a child’s life by quickly moving her away from a motor
home that was ablaze just moments before it exploded. Officer Creamer’s
courageous performance of duty reflects his selfless dedication to service.
Agent of the Year - Special Agent Derrell Jones, Criminal
Investigations Bureau Northeast District, has been a member of the division for
more than nine years. As the lead investigator in a complex fuel fraud case that
began in Jacksonville and expanded throughout Northeast Florida and Southeast
Georgia, Special Agent Jones provided overall direction and operational planning
for all agencies involved in the investigation, including local, state, and
federal law enforcement entities. As a result of his team’s efforts, hundreds of
well documented felony charges were presented to the prosecutor; ten suspects,
including the ringleader, were arrested; and a major criminal enterprise
operating in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia was put out of business.
Employee of the Year - Jennifer Jones, Office of the Director, has
been a member of the division for more than three years. Jennifer serves as
website manager, medical monitoring coordinator, press office liaison, awards
committee chair, and outreach coordinator for the division. She was instrumental
in the acquisition of the 877-DEP-LAW1 hotline which allows the public to make
direct calls to the Regional Communications Centers for Park Police assistance.
Her communications skills were invaluable during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
incident, where Jennifer supported DEP’s major public information
responsibilities. Jennifer’s initiative, willingness, and “behind the scenes”
organization make division events and projects seem to be accomplished
effortlessly.
Manager of the Year - Chief Ron Cave, Office of Training and
Professional Standards, has been a member of the division for more than one
year. From October to December 2009, he worked tirelessly in leading and
organizing the work of the accreditation team and saw the division through a
nearly flawless on-site assessment leading to successful accreditation of the
division. Chief Cave has demonstrated dedication to continuous improvement,
displayed by a significant increase in training hours delivered by the Office of
Training and Professional Standards. He is considered to be one of the most
capable law enforcement leaders in state government, as evidenced by his rapid
rise to Chairman of the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission’s
Region 15 and his current role as president of the State Law Enforcement Chiefs’
Association.
DEP’s Division of Law Enforcement is responsible for statewide environmental
resource law enforcement, as well as providing law enforcement services to
Florida’s state parks and greenways and trails. Division personnel from the
three operational bureaus patrol state lands, investigate environmental resource
crimes, and respond to natural disasters, civil unrest, hazardous material
incidents and oil spills that threaten the environment.
To report an environmental crime, wireless customers can dial #DEP. Callers
can also report environmental crimes to the State Warning Point by calling (877)
2-SAVE-FL (1.877.272.8335). General environmental inquiries should be directed
to DEP district offices during business hours. For more information about DEP’s
Division of Law Enforcement, visit
www.dep.state.fl.us/law. |
2012 State of Florida