Delaware State Police Announce 2013 Trooper and Civilian Employee of the Year

NEWS RELEASE

DELAWARE STATE POLICE

Superintendent Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr.

 

Presented by Public Information Officer Master Corporal Gary E. Fournier

P.O. Box 430  |  Dover, DE 19903  |  Cell: 302.535.3706 |  Gary.Fournier@state.de.us

 

 

DSP News Release:   Delaware State Police Announce 2013 Trooper and Civilian Employee of the Year

 

Date and Time: Wednesday, February 26, 2014, at 11:30 a.m.

 

Resume:

Cheswold, DE- At a ceremony at the Delaware State Troopers Association hall today, Superintendent of the Delaware State Police Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr. announced the winners of the annual Trooper of the Year and Civilian of the Year awards.

 

Trooper of the Year

 

Each year the Delaware State Police Executive Staff selects one Trooper for the Trooper of the Year Award.  To be nominated, a Trooper must exceed performance standards and be recognized by his or her peers as one who consistently displays integrity and work ethic.

 

This year, ten Delaware State Troopers were nominated.  The Executive Staff selected Trooper First Class Patrick Jackson from Troop 7 patrol as the 2013 Trooper of the Year for his outstanding efforts and contributions to the Division and the citizens of Delaware.

 

Tfc. Jackson began his career in October 2011, and in January 2012 was assigned to Troop 7 patrol in Lewes, where he quickly established a reputation for being an excellent investigator.  Tfc. Jackson draws upon his experience as a former Bethany Beach Police Officer and former DSP Cadet, demonstrating a high level of initiative while seeking out, identifying and apprehending the criminal element operating within the boundaries of Troop 7.   Tfc Jackson was nominated for the award by the Troop 7 administration, who described him as the epitome of a Delaware State Trooper, whose diligent investigations have resulted in significant arrests and seizures of drugs, weapons, and vehicles. 

 

There are many examples of Tfc. Jackson’s excellent work in 2013, but a few of the items are especially noteworthy.

 

In early January of 2013, Tfc. Jackson conducted a traffic stop on two suspicious individuals in the Angola area to perform a crime prevention check.  Upon interviewing the subjects about some recent burglaries in the area he was able to obtain information on the name of a suspect.  Tfc. Jackson began researching old complaints on the suspect and was able to locate an address as well as obtain information through a computer inquiry that he was wanted out of Pennsylvania for parole violations.  Tfc. Jackson and other troopers responded to the last known address of the suspect and upon making contact with him, a lengthy foot pursuit ensued before he was finally captured.  The arrest of the individual led to the clearance of more than 100 crimes including theft of firearms, a robbery, and numerous burglaries.

 

In March of 2013 Tfc. Jackson responded to a call in which an individual was off his medication for schizophrenia.  Tfc. Jackson made contact with family members who advised him of the agitated state of the individual and the fact that he was in possession of two knives.  Tfc. Jackson was able to keep the subject under control and calm until other troopers arrived on scene before taking him into custody for treatment.  Tfc. Jackson's composed demeanor also led to a peaceful resolution in another incident that occurred in July of 2013 when a West Point Graduate with no criminal record decided to take a hallucinogenic drug to deal with the pain of recently losing a military friend to suicide.  Tfc. Jackson was able to talk to the despondent Veteran and come to a peaceful resolution in what could have become a volatile situation.

 

Tfc. Jackson has volunteered a lot of his off duty time in several community based programs.  He has been instrumental in the after school programs from the ground floor up in the Cool Spring area as well as West Rehoboth.  He meets with the children, helps with homework, mentors, and conducts outdoor activities with them, and even organized assistance from other troopers to install a volleyball net in an open field in West Rehoboth over the summer.  Tfc. Jackson has been instrumental in providing several ideas and proposals in helping steer the Community Outreach Committee in which he serves.  His interaction with the youth is priceless and statistically not measurable which fosters positive interactions with the coming generation of residents in West Rehoboth and Cool Springs.  This relationship will have a direct correlation to an increase in community well-being as these children grow.  

 

Tfc. Jackson performs his duties in an outstanding manner, but also commits many more hours with his community outreach, shedding a positive light on the Delaware State Police. The men and women of the Delaware State Police are very proud of Tfc. Jackson 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 who are nominated for this award display outstanding performance and meet the following criteria:

 

1.      Exceptional service as identified by the employee’s performance evaluations

2.      A consistent record of such service through their years of employment

3.      Recognition by their peers for outstanding character and integrity.

 

This year, eight civilian Delaware State Police employees were nominated.  The Executive Staff of the Delaware State Police selected Mrs. C. Renee Rigby from the State Bureau of Identification (SBI) as the 2013 Civilian of the Year. 

 

Mrs. Rigby began her career with the Delaware State Police on January 24, 1994, and has been assigned to SBI ever since.  She has served in several sections of SBI during her tenure with the Delaware State Police and is currently the Assistant Director of SBI.  Mrs. Rigby directly supervises subordinates who oversee the Quality Control Section, the Criminal History Section, the Fingerprint Section, and Front Desk Operations and is indirectly responsible for the activities of approximately 50 civilian employees working not only in the Dover office, but two satellite locations at Troop 2 in Newark and Troop 4 in Georgetown.

 

In the past year, SBI has encountered many turnovers including five long time employees to retirement, five internal promotions, and two personnel who received employment elsewhere.  Mrs. Rigby’s unwavering commitment allowed her to field train new employees, civilian and troopers, in all aspects of their jobs including those in critical supervisory positions never losing sight of the unit’s obligation to the public.  Mrs. Rigby also held the responsibility of training each of the Criminal History Technicians who routinely register or verify sex offenders on a new Sex Offender Registry Program initiated by Delaware Criminal Justice Information System (DELJIS).

 

Mrs. Rigby is always friendly with her co-workers, supervisors, and members of the public.  She was nominated by the SBI staff because of her unfailing dedication to her faith, family, co-workers, and the State Police.