Delaware State Police Announce Its Trooper Of The Year And DSP Civilian Employee Of The Year For 2011

Date and Time: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.

Resume:
Dover, DE- Each year the Delaware State Police Executive Staff selects one Trooper for the Trooper of the Year Award. Troopers nominated must be recognized by their peers as having outstanding character and integrity and whose actions or performance significantly exceeded expectations during the previous calendar year.

This year, eight Delaware State Troopers were nominated. The Executive Staff selected Corporal Troy Ralston as the 2011 Trooper of the Year.

Cpl. Ralston began his career with the Delaware State Police in September 2006 and through his strong work ethic has established a reputation as a dedicated Trooper excelling in both criminal and traffic enforcement. The efforts of Troopers like Cpl. Ralston make our communities and highway safer for everyone. Cpl. Ralston consistently among the Troop leaders in traffic and criminal enforcement activities, all the while, is taking on additional responsibilities such as serving as a field training officer and as a mentor in the Troop 7 Explorers program.

Equally as important as Cpl. Ralston’s performance and work ethic, is Cpl. Ralston’s strength of character. Cpl. Ralston represents the core values of Honor, Integrity, Courage, Loyalty, Attitude, Discipline and Service.

I would like to highlight two incidents highlight and clearly demonstrate Cpl. Ralston’s dedication and commitment to the Core Values and to the citizens we serve.

On January, 11th, 2011, Cpl. Ralston was responding to Sussex County Court of Common Pleas on his day off for a trial. While en route to court, Cpl. Ralston heard SUSCOM dispatch other Trooper’s to a motor vehicle crash involving a vehicle on fire with a trapped occupant. Cpl. Ralston knew the crash was not far from his location and immediately redirected to the scene of the crash.

Cpl. Ralston was the first emergency responder to arrive on the scene and observed that a van and a tractor trailer had collided head-on, and both vehicles on fire. Cpl. Ralston saw that the tractor trailer was unoccupied, but the operator of the van was still inside. Cpl. Ralston grabbed his fire extinguisher and ran to the van. The van operator was unconscious and his clothing was on fire. Cpl. Ralston quickly directed the fire extinguisher at the flames on the operator, and did his best to suppress the fire from the engine compartment, but could not extinguish it completely. With the assistance of a citizen at the scene, they cut the operator’s seatbelt and attempted to pull the operator from the van, but then realized the operator’s legs were trapped under the steering wheel. Despite the flames creeping back into the passenger compartment Cpl. Ralston and the citizen continued work feverishly to free the operator from the vehicle. Finally, they were able to pull the operator from the vehicle, but not before Cpl. Ralston had sustained second degree burns on his hand.

Cpl. Ralston immediately assessed the operator’s condition and began to administer CPR, until he had to move the victim again because the fire continued to grow, and there were several small explosions that erupted from the vehicles. Cpl. Ralston continued to perform CPR until Fire and EMS personnel arrived on the scene. The operator of the van was transported to the hospital where, unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries.

Cpl. Ralston’s efforts did not go unnoticed, and because of his willingness to put his own life in harm's way in an attempt to save the life of another, he was awarded the Division’s Valor Award.

Ten days later, on January 21, 2011, Cpl. Ralston responded to a call for a 75 year old male in cardiac arrest. Cpl. Ralston was the first emergency responder to arrive on the scene and upon his entry into the residence located the victim who was unconscious, without a pulse and not breathing. Cpl. Ralston utilized his AED to assess the victim and then together with the victim’s son took turns performing CPR on the victim until EMS arrived on the scene and took over. The victim was transported to the hospital and we are happy to say that he survived.

The men and women of the Delaware State Police are very proud of Cpl. Ralston and grateful for his dedicated service.

Civilian of the Year: Each year the Delaware State Police Executive Staff selects one civilian employee for the Civilian of the Year Award. Civilian employees are nominated for this award for outstanding performance and meeting the following criteria:

Exceptional service as identified by the employee’s performance evaluations
A consistent record of such service through their years of employment
Recognized by their peers as having outstanding character and integrity

This year, nine civilian Delaware State Police employees were nominated. The Executive Staff of the Delaware State Police has selected Mr. Nicholas Lindale as the 2011 Civilian of the Year.

Mr. Lindale began his career with the Delaware State Police in 1974 as an Auto Mechanic at Delaware State Police Troop 7 in Lewes, and left from the Division for a brief period of time in 1977, but thankfully, he returned to the Delaware State Police in 1985 and has continuously served as Troop 7’s mechanic for the past 26 years.

Mr. Lindale takes a great deal of pride in his work and has a reputation for being conscientious, selfless, friendly and dedicated. Mr. Lindale is loved and respected by active and retired Troopers, not only from Troop 7, but from Troops and Sections throughout the state.

Legend has it, that in the 1970’s, when there was no garage at Troop 7, Mr. Lindale had to work outside in the elements utilizing the troop tow truck as a lift, to jack up the patrol cars and then crawl under the vehicles in the scorching heat and in the blowing snow. Today, we are happy to say that Mr. Lindale’s shop at Troop 7 has all of the modern amenities and Mr. Lindale keeps his shop in tip top condition.

In addition to his close attention to the fleet, Mr. Lindale has the uncanny ability to create unique mechanical solutions from common items that others may have tossed to the side. Over the years Mr. Lindale’s inventions have done everything from reducing the time required to burn old documents, (this was before the modern paper shredder) and recently he fabricated a custom cell phone bracket for one of our Troopers out of an old parking sign. This ability to assess a mechanical challenge and identify a solution, allowed Mr. Lindale to swiftly assemble a series of hose lines to control a brush fire in the field behind Troop 7 last July, until the fire department could arrive and extinguish the blaze. I should mention that the Troop 7 fuel pump is located behind the Troop, about 30 feet from the wooded area, so we are especially grateful for Mr. Lindale’s quick thinking.

Mr. Lindale’s number one priority is the safety of the Troopers on Patrol and his goal has always been to ensure that “no trooper is ever injured due to a mechanical failure in their vehicle.”

On behalf of the men and women of the Delaware State Police, we thank Mr. Lindale for his commitment to that goal and are grateful for his service.