STATE POLICE SALUTE TROOPER, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER AND POLICE COMMUNICATION OFFICERS OF THE YEAR

(TIMONIUM, MD) – Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel Marcus L. Brown today announced the statewide Trooper of the Year, Non-Commissioned Officer and Police Communications Officer of the Year, who were chosen for their outstanding service to the Department and the citizens of Maryland during 2013.

The 2013 Trooper of the Year is Senior Trooper Marlin Myers of the Berlin Barrack. The 2013 Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year is Corporal Jonathan Novack of the JFK Highway Barrack. There was a tie for the 2013 Police Communications Officer of the Year. The winners were Police Communications Operator II Terri Coleman, of the Glen Burnie Barrack and Police Communications Supervisor Sydney Sarrichio, of the Rockville Barrack. The winners were chosen from troopers, NCOs and PCOs who won the award locally at each of their barracks, divisions, or units throughout the Maryland State Police.
In a ceremony today, Colonel Brown thanked each of the winners for their commitment to public service and for providing outstanding law enforcement services to the people of Maryland. “I am very proud to lead a force of dedicated troopers and civilian employees who commit themselves each day to doing all they can to fight crime, reduce traffic crashes, and protect our citizens,” Colonel Brown said. “Our goal is to be a statewide force for a safe and secure Maryland. We do that by maintaining high standards of service, but our standards would mean nothing without the outstanding people who uphold those standards. Your performance during the past year proves your commitment to our mission and to the oath you took to serve and protect the people of Maryland.”

Senior Trooper Marlin Meyers has been a member of the Maryland State Police since 1996. His supervisors describe him as being the ‘gold standard’ for an excellent road trooper. He uses every tool available to detect crimes and arrest criminals. In 2013, his skills and abilities in the area of drug interdiction led to his assignment to the Berlin Barrack’s Criminal Interdiction Team. He led the barrack with 50 total arrests, half of which were for drug offenses. He recovered large amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. On one traffic stop, he found more than one-half pound of methamphetamine, the largest recovery of that drug in Worcester County history.

Senior Trooper Myers conducted the field training of a new trooper, showing him how to become a productive member of the barrack. He organized the barrack’s “Shop with a Cop” program and raised $1,900 dollars to provide 11 under privileged children from Worcester County the ability to shop for Christmas presents for their family.

His supervisor, Corporal Matthew Mann, said this about him: “It is rare to find a road trooper with as many years of service as Senior Trooper Myers, still performing at such a high level with this degree of enthusiasm and love of the job and his community. Senior Trooper Myers is proud to be a Maryland state trooper and it shows in all he does.”

Corporal Jonathan Novack joined the Maryland State Police in 2006. He won Trooper of the Year at the Bel Air Barrack in 2009 and joined the staff at the JFK Highway Barracks in 2011 as a member of the K-9 Unit.

Even though he is a supervisor, Cpl. Novack believes in leading by example, so he led all barrack personnel in DUI arrests last year with 59. He made 26 criminal arrests, 22 of which were for drug violations. He assisted with 24 K-9 apprehensions. The barrack DUI enforcement team was placed under his supervision and he helped them increase drunk driving arrests last year by nine percent, resulting in 187 arrests. They increased their criminal arrests by 34 percent.

Cpl. Novack participated in three Badges for Baseball camps with the US Marshals Service and Ripken Baseball and was a medal presenter at the Special Olympics Maryland Summer Games. In December, he organized a holiday meal and donated gifts from his DUI team to a local family who was in need. This included raising money for the family’s child, who is a paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair.

His supervisor, Sgt. Michael Smart, said: “Cpl. Novack’s impressive dedication exemplifies the extraordinary effort he exerts to maintain the image he believes a trooper should uphold. He comes to work intending to make a difference and motivates everyone around him with his positive attitude. Cpl. Novack is an asset to his group, the JFK Barrack, and the Maryland State Police.”

Police Communications Operator II Terri Coleman is described as the epitome of a multi-tasker. She is able to take incoming calls, dispatch calls, copy traffic stops, confirm warrants, enter warrants, and clear warrants, all the while being aware of every trooper’s location.

PCO II Coleman was behind the microphone during a fatal shooting at Rt. 3 and I-97 last year. She handled the call professionally by keeping the duty officer informed, dispatching a trooper to the scene, and communicating all necessary information and precautions to the trooper beforehand.

She was also on duty in the early morning hours of an October midnight shift when Trooper Jackie Kline was struck and critically injured along the shoulder of Rt. 100. PCO II Coleman maintained her composure during this incredibly stressful event and exercised complete control, despite having to handle lifesaving communication obligations involving her friend and co-worker. Her performance during this incident was a contributory factor to Trooper Kline’s eventual recovery after this incredibly traumatic incident.

Police Communications Supervisor Sydney Sarrichio has worked for the Maryland State Police for eight years. He speaks three languages and is fluent in Danish and Spanish. He is frequently relied upon by troopers for translation during investigations, or to assist non-English speaking citizens at the Rockville Barrack.

PCS Sarrichio created a letter in Spanish which is sent to wanted individuals that has resulted in many fugitives turning themselves in, helping to close 100 open warrants, saving valuable resources and reducing potential conflict at the scene of an arrest.

He frequently volunteers to fill vacant shifts and is always undertaking and completing time sensitive assignments. He leads by example and daily displays dedication as a dispatcher, leader, and member of the Maryland State Police.