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The Florida Police Chiefs Association established the Police Officer of the Year Award in 1998 to recognize police officers who have demonstrated exceptional achievement and shown a genuine commitment to their profession, their agency and the public they serve.
On January 11, 2001 the Board of Directors unanimously approved a proposal to honor the memory of Lee McGehee who passed away on September 19, 2000, by naming the Police Officer of the Year Award after him. Subsequently, on June 10, 2001, the Board decided to expand the scope of the program to recognize an Officer of the Year from small (1 – 30 sworn officers), medium (31 – 75 sworn officers) and large (more than 75 sworn officers) size agencies. Click here to read about Chief Lee McGehee.
NOMINATION PROCEDURES
- Small (1 – 30 sworn officers)
- Medium (31 – 75 sworn officers)
- Large (more than 75 sworn officers)
Nominations for the awards should be made for police endeavors, either on-duty or off-duty, that occurred between October 1 and September 30 of the previous year. An agency may nominate only one officer. Neither the individual making the nomination or the nominee need be a member of the FPCA.
ENDORSEMENT: Nominations must have a signed endorsement from the agency head.
NOMINATIONS: The FPCA nomination form must accompany each nomination and include:
- A statement of the specific circumstances involving police performance that went beyond normal job requirements. Please submit a current photo of the nominee. Please note that nomination materials will not be returned. No notebooks, please. The total nomination package must not exceed 5 pages. Any nomination packages over five (5) pages will not be considered.
NOMINATION FORM: Click Here
DEADLINE: The deadline for receipt of nominations is February 1st.
NOTIFICATION: Winners will be notified as soon as possible after March 15th, after final approval by the FPCA Executive Board.
PRESENTATION: Awards will be presented during the FPCA Annual Summer Conference.
For ethical reasons, individual members of the nominating review committees should not score any nominations from their current or past agencies, or any nominee whom they know personally and therefore may be influenced by that relationship.
2023
Sergeant Kendall Reyes
Palm Beach Police Department
Detective Matthew Aiken
Miami Beach Police Department
2022
Corporal E.J. Raines
Dunnellon Police Department
Corporal Ritchie Revis
Sebastian Police Department
Detective Daniel Melgar
Boca Raton Police Department
2021
Detective Richard Menor
West Miami Police Department
Corporal Courtney Weddington
Fort Walton Beach Police Department
Officer Staci Chastain
Davie Police Department
2020
Detective Rosanna Vinci
Flagler Beach Police Department
Detective Diane Wantuk
Coral Springs Police Department
2019
Officer Lauren Brown
Eustis Police Department
Detective Joshua Haggard
Detective Michael Bulzone
Detective Kari Norwood
Sunrise Police Department
2018
Detective Stephen Mistovich, Jr.
Milton Police Department
Detective Melissa France
Clermont Police Department
Sergeant Chris Nichol
Panama City Police Department
2017
Sergeant Jeremy Millis
Belle Isle Police Department
Officer Bradley Dilley
Tampa International Airport Police Department
Detective Manual Gonzalez
Miami Dade Police Department
2016
Detective Lisa German
Indian Harbor Beach Police Department
Officer Joseph LaRosa
West Melbourne Police Department
Lt. Scott Smith
Orlando Police Department
2015
Officers Dustin Crouch, Ted Mooney, Chris Beaumont, Ken Barrett, Geoff Hawkes, and Sergeant Tim Dempsey
Indian River Shores Police Department
Officer Rick Shawver
Wilton Manors Police Department
Officer Niel Johnson
North Miami Police Department
2014
Officer Anthony Kelly
Mexico Beach Police Department
Officers Daniel Cutchins, Oma Nations, Orenthya Sloan, Parise Adams & Roy Wiley
Florida State University Police Department
Officer Mark Lewis & Detective Scott Angulo
Tallahassee Police Department
2013
Officer Manuel “Manny” Bello
West Miami Police Department
Detective William Powell
Oviedo Police Department
Officer David Conticelli
Fort Myers Police Department
2012
Officer Alexander Rosario
West Miami Police Department
Sergeant Sam Gereg
Tallahassee Police Department
2011
Captain Raimundo Atesiano
Village of Biscayne Park Police Department
Officer Adam Lebovitz
Temple Terrace Police Department
Officer Douglas Weaver
St. Petersburg Police Department
2010
Corporal Steve Owens
Satellite Beach Police Department
Detective Justin Cantees
West Melbourne Police Department
Officer Ernest Goram
Tallahassee Police Department
2009
Officer Thomas Faller
Live Oak Police Department
Captain Mark Hall
Palm Springs Police Department
Officer Jorge Martinez
Titusville Police Department
2008
Officer Jason Campbell
West Melbourne Police Department
Detective Anthony Peterson
St. Petersburg Police Department
2007
Detective Nelson Camacho
North Miami Beach Police Department
Officer Brent Tyler
Fruitland Park Police Department
2006
Sergeant John (Sodie) Braxton, Jr.
Chipley Police Department
Officer Mike Hilton
Lake City Police Department
Officer Charles Turco
Boynton Beach Police Department
2005
Officer Chris Cooks
Madison Police Department Police Department
Officer Richard Hackett
Tampa International Airport Police Department
Officer Christopher Newman
Fort Pierce Police Department
2004
Sergeant John Jenner
Green Cove Springs Police Department
Officer Henry Guzman
South Miami Police Department
Officer George “Rocky” Festa
North Miami Police Department
2003
Officer Chuck Perry
Tallahassee Police Department
Officer Troy Vezina
Aventura Police Department
Officer Scott Holstine
Indialantic Police Department
2002
Officer Kevin Hickey
Titusville Police Department
Officer Christopher Barfield
Lake City Police Department
2001
Sergeant James Pike
Tequesta Police Department
Detective David Arcieri
Edgewater Police Department
Officer Orlando Merced
Miami Police Department
2000
Officer Carmen Wilson
Orlando Police Department
1999
Detective James Bittar
Miami Police Department
1998
Detective Ibrahim Garcia
Miami Beach Police Department