Dover Police Department Announces Officer and Civilian of the Year 2-15-2016
The Dover Police Department is proud to announce the 2015 Officer and Civilian of the Year.
Patrolman First Class James Johnson, 2015 Officer of the Year
Pfc. Johnson is a three year veteran of the Dover Police Department and the recipient of the 2015 Officer of the Year Award following his nomination for Officer of the 2nd Quarter. Pfc. Johnson is currently assigned to the Street Crimes Unit and the Special Operations Response Team (SORT), but served in the patrol unit for three years prior to those assignments. Johnson was nominated for the award based on his outstanding work ethic, on-the-job instincts, and his dedication to the profession. Johnson was also known to lead his respective shift in reports taken, traffic/criminal arrests, and case load. While these characteristics are impressive, there were several specific incidents that demonstrate the many reasons he is the recipient of the 2015 Officer of the Year.
On Monday, June 29th, 2015, Pfc. Johnson responded to a residence on Willis Road for a call of a 3-year-old not breathing. Upon arrival, Johnson immediately rendered aid to the toddler, who had blue lips and was not breathing. Johnson began chest compressions as medical services arrived and began supplying oxygen to the 3-year-old boy. It was later learned that the young boy survived as a result of Johnson’s ability to quickly react under stress. Johnson was later reunited with Devon Schmitt, when his mother brought him to the police station.
On Friday, June 12th, 2015. Pfc. Johnson was called to the Wells Fargo Bank, located on S. Bradford Street for a suspect trying to pass a stolen/forged check. The suspect left the bank prior to his arrival. As Johnson was driving to the bank, he observed the suspect on foot and attempted to stop him. The suspect fled on foot, but was soon captured by Pfc. Johnson. The suspect had a magazine loaded with .22 caliber rounds and several more stolen checks.
On May 27, 2015, Pfc. Johnson assisted his fellow platoon officers in the apprehension of theft suspects following a series of thefts from vehicles. In all, four suspects were apprehended in this incident. Pfc. Johnson located four victims and was able to return most of their items that were stolen. Johnson also conducted an interview with a suspect that led to a confession to another series of thefts from vehicles and several more charges. Just a few weeks later on June 23rd, Johnson observed one of the suspects in the area of Kings Highway and DuPont Highway in the middle of the night. Finding the behavior of the suspect suspicious, Johnson stopped and talked to him. It was discovered that the suspect had an active arrest warrant and was taken into custody. A search of the suspect led to the discovery of another persons cell phone, credit cards, and vehicle documents. Johnson believed the items to be stolen, which was confirmed later in the day as the victims began to notify the police department of their losses.
Patrolman First Class James Johnson is a prime example of what makes the Dover Police Department successful in its mission to proudly serve the public. Johnson will officially be recognized at the Spring Promotion and Awards Ceremony (Date TBD)
Kelly Morgan, 2015 Civilian of the Year
The Dover Police Department proudly recognizes Kelly Morgan as the 2015 Civilian of the Year. Kelly has worked for the department for three years, primarily maintaining attendance and payroll records in the records department. Kelly’s work ethic was cited in her nomination for the award along with several other attributes. Kelly’s meticulous record keeping ensures the accuracy of reports, schedules, and payroll for the police department. With over 130 employees (civilian and sworn), this is no easy task for one person to accomplish. However, Kelly can often be seen in the department on Sunday’s, giving up long holiday weekends, to ensure the job is done on time. In addition to her payroll duties, Kelly maintains the ADP time management system on a daily basis to ensure that Dover Police employees have up-to-date and accurate information. Kelly has an excellent relationship with all of her co-workers and never hesitates to assist anyone. Kelly has also taken the initiative to train new officers and newly promoted supervisors on the ADP time management system and how to keep track of their time cards and time requests. Kelly is also responsible for maintaining DELJIS officer schedules for court scheduling purposes and is often asked to run reports on short notice for different areas of the department. Due to her dedication and accurate record keeping, Kelly accomplishes those tasks easily.
Kelly Morgan will officially be recognized at the Spring Promotion and Awards Ceremony (Date TBD)