Dedication
to keeping the public safe and informed is the theme connecting the
Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Employees of the 1st
Quarter 2008 winners. There is a high level of professionalism and
expertise exhibited by the five deputies and civilians honored by
Sheriff Ben Johnson during a ceremony at the Deputy Stephen Saboda
Center in Daytona Beach Tuesday morning. Awards were presented to a
patrol deputy, an investigator, a pilot, a telecommunicator, and a
Citizen Observer Program volunteer.
Patrol deputy James Greene is well known in his
Ormond Beach district for his attention to detail and initiative. These
traits get results, leading to solved crimes, arrests and an exceptional
working relationship with other local law enforcement agencies. Greene
always puts in the extra effort when investigating crimes such as auto
thefts and burglaries. He identifies escape routes the suspects may have
taken while also tracking down their homes, hideouts and hangouts. This
information is then spread throughout his district, to include the
surrounding police agencies, fostering an outstanding team effort. The
sergeant in charge of the district’s investigators, Sgt. James Turner,
praised Greene’s commitment in a letter nominating Greene for the
deputy of the quarter award, and credited his meticulous police work in
several recent arrests. The deputy’s efforts resulted in clearing
three bank robberies last year, and that dedication continues to this
day.
"Jim holds the distinction of being one of the
best street cops I’ve ever seen," said Sheriff Johnson.
New technologies, coupled with the public’s
heightened interest in local sexual offenders required a person in the
Sheriff’s Office to take on multiple tasks in a short amount of time.
Investigator Lilly Efird filled that role and then some. Upon being
assigned to the Career Criminal Unit in August 2007, she quickly became
the resident expert in the new database software OffenderWatch. She soon
was recognized by other police agencies as a reliable point of contact
concerning the program. She spent a large amount of her time helping
with data migration, creating training materials and creating the
OffenderWatch web page, along with her other daily tasks and
responsibilities. Her supervisor, Sgt. Erik Eagan, credited her in an
investigator of the quarter nomination for being "the driving force
in the unit" to get the task of program implementation done.
"Lily’s work product shows her enthusiasm, professionalism and
dedication," he said.
Since 1996, Duty Pilot Michael Markovich has been in
Sheriff’s Office helicopters, both as a flight paramedic and a pilot.
One of Markovich’s most memorable flights had to have been on January
7, 2008, when catastrophic failure of the helicopter turbine resulted in
loss of the aircraft’s power system and sent him and his flight
paramedic plummeting to the ground. They had been on their way to a pick
up a trauma alert patient near DeLand when a loud bang was heard and the
helicopter yanked hard to the left while warning lights and alarms went
off. Markovich drew upon his extensive training to maneuver the
helicopter to a road construction area alongside a busy highway. He had
to make split second adjustments to avoid hitting construction
equipment, but his superior skills landed them safely. "The task
– though trained for – is very rarely completed successfully,
especially to level of textbook perfection, which he exhibited,"
noted Markovich’s employee of the quarter nomination.
"They salvaged that ship with cool heads, an
excellent crew and fantastic training," said Sheriff Johnson.
"I’m very proud of the job you do."
Telecommunicator of the quarter Nzinga Salcedo-Hutchinson
hasn’t wasted any time accumulating expert knowledge in her field
since her hiring in late 2006. She is currently a primary Fire
Telecommunicator. She completed the Daytona Beach Community College
Emergency Medical Technician program with high honors and obtained her
National and State certification. Her supervisors say that she is a
pleasure to work with regardless of the shift, and is creative in her
learning and teaching methods. "She is always eager to learn and
grow in her performance and is eager to share her knowledge with new
employees," said her supervisor, Debbie Smith.
Establishing and maintaining a connection with the
communities the Sheriff’s Office serves is vital to a working
relationship that keeps everyone safe and informed. Citizen Observer
Program volunteer Phillip Segalla has become a valuable link in that
connection in the New Smyrna Beach area, earning him the volunteer of
the quarter honors. In addition to his normal COP duties, Segalla
spearheaded the local "Vial of Life" program, and is always
eager to give presentations and answer questions. He willingly
rearranges his personal schedule to make sure he is available for any
Neighborhood Watch or community safety presentations that come up.
Segalla’s ability to speak to the various audiences using gentle humor
and relevant stories leaves a professional impression with citizens.
