Each year the meritorious conduct board recommendations for employee awards are presented to individuals and officers based on outstanding acts or performances which brings credit to the department or community.
This year several residents were recognized for their actions either acting on their own or coming to the assistance of an officer.
Among the civilians recognized Monday night was Katie Robertson for donating over 500 toys to the Santa Cop program, which she consistently donates to each year. This year she has already collected over 200 toys for the program.
Vicki Stewart and Mike Lopez were also honored for volunteering their time with the Santa Cop program.
Robertson, Lopez, Stewart, along with Jesus Vasquez, Frank Cuara, Ryan Hansen, Abe Ismael Litrell, Yelter Rivera, and Bruce Sales were presented with Citizen’s Certificate of Merit.
Winston Bowen was award the Police Commendation, and the Life Saving Award went to Richard Andersen, Dustan Barrett, Daniel Everett, Ben Gregson, Matt Heidelberg, Daniel Higginson, Glenn Lang, Joe Maddox, Darren Marsack, Tim Roundtree, Aaron Shedd and Jeff Wilson.
Certificate of Civic Achievement went to Jeff Abbott, Mark Bradford, Steven Contreras, Eamon Leyden and Torrey Rhone.
Ricardo Rodriguez was name the 2016 Civilian of the Year, his second time to receive award. No individual has been given this award twice.
“I think there was a moment of silence on the phone, as I was shocked that I received the honor of being civilian of the year for the second time,” he said.
“I received my first civilian of the year in 2014, and ever since then I continue to work hard for the Mesquite Police Department in the jail as a detention training officer,” Rodriguez continued. “Recently I was hired in the new position of public service professional, which I will use the skills that I have acquired over the eight years that I have been here to assist police officers in their duty and the citizens of Mesquite.”
The 2016 Officer of the Year award went to Don Phillips, who joined the Mesquite Police Department in 1990.
“I have to say, I was shocked when Chief Cato informed me I was named Officer of the Year. My first thought was, ‘Why me? What did I do?’ I still can’t give a good reason as to why me,” he said.
Phillips said that although he has never lived in Mesquite he has spent the majority of the last 27 years within the city limits working with men and women of the Mesquite PD.
“I know being named Officer of the Year would never have happened without my fellow officers I’ve had the pleasure to work with all these years,” he said. “I’ve spent the majority of my time with these people at the Mesquite Police Department, probably more than my wife and children.”
“I’ve been asked often what I think my biggest accomplishment is or what I am most proud of in my career. My answer is always and will always be my wife and my marriage,” Phillips added. “I’m a better person for having worked the last 27 years at such a respectable police department and I’m looking forward to finishing out my career here with MPD because they are not just coworkers, they are family.”
Article by Anny Sivilay, asivilay@starlocalmedia, of Star Local Media