Pensacola Police Department

Officers of the Month

OFFICERS OF THE MONTH FOR 2007

Detective Greg Gordon was working off-duty in uniform at an apartment complex when he saw several males gambling.

As he approached the group, Detective Gordon identified himself as a police officer, and the men began to run in different directions. Detective Gordon pursued the suspects and caught one of them.

But while walking the suspect to his patrol car, another man armed with a beer bottle approached Detective Gordon from the side and struck him in the head, causing a large laceration above his left eye. The suspect then fled on foot.

Despite having his vision obscured by blood from the wound, Detective Gordon chased the suspect and caught him. Detective Gordon was taken to a local hospital and received seven stitches to close the wound on his head.

Because he maintained his professionalism in a difficult situation and also overcame adversity to capture a suspect who had just delivered a potentially deadly injury to his head, Detective Greg Gordon is named Officer of the Month for January.

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An uncanny ability to locate and recover stolen vehicles coupled with a high level of self-initiated activity frequently place Officer Shawn Thompson in stressful and dangerous situations.

One of those instances occurred recently when Officer Thompson spotted a car that had been stolen during a carjacking several weeks earlier. The vehicle fled from Officer Thompson, and the driver crashed into a parked car after a short pursuit.

When a passenger in the car fled the scene on foot, Officer Thompson deployed his K-9. The suspect then pulled a handgun out of his coat and began to raise it in the direction of Officer Thompson and his K-9.

Fortunately, the K-9 apprehended the suspect before he had a chance to level the handgun. The suspect was arrested for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

Because of his unwavering dedication to the public and to this department, Officer Shawn Thompson is named Sertoma Officer of the Month for January.

Sgt. Stephen Bauer is an example of someone who thinks outside the box.

Although he is a supervisor in the Vice and Narcotics Unit, Sgt. Bauer routinely responds to calls for service from other officers, and assigns his officers to help with various investigations as the need arises.

For example, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office recently requested assistance on a retail theft that occurred on Pensacola Beach. When the vehicle the suspects were in entered Pensacola, it was stopped by a marked patrol unit. At that point, two of the suspects fled on foot, and additional officers were summoned for assistance.

Sgt. Bauer was one of the responding officers, and began a foot search around Wayside Park in an area one of the suspects was seen running away. Sgt. Bauer found a piece of clothing the suspect had discarded in some reeds and, before long, he also found the suspect – who had submerged himself underwater near the shoreline.

Another example of his help occurred when officers were searching for a vehicle burglary suspect who had several outstanding warrants on him. After the suspect was followed home by a detective, Sgt. Bauer had V&N officers respond to the residence and help with the arrest and search warrant.

Because of his willingness to help others, his investigative techniques and his persistence in getting a job done, Sgt. Stephen Bauer is named Officer of the Month for February.

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Brave.

That may well be the simplest word to summarize recent actions of Sgt. Robert Hurst when he responded to a possible attempted suicide call.

The incident began when another officer received a telephone call from one of the man’s relatives saying he was distraught over the loss of a job and might be contemplating suicide.

The relative said the man might be headed to Bayview Cemetery because his grandparents are buried there.

Sgt. Hurst was contacted and dispatched to the cemetery to watch for the man’s vehicle. After the vehicle entered the cemetery and stopped, Sgt. Hurst saw the man holding a gun when he got out.

The man staggered around the headstones firing the gun several times and warning people to stay away from him. Sgt. Hurst tried to talk with the man but when that failed, he tackled the man and took the gun away from him.

Without hesitation and with great risk to himself, Sgt. Robert Hurst put his own life in danger to stop someone from attempting suicide.

Because of his heroism, Sgt. Robert Hurst is named Officer of the Month for March.

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October, November and December saw a large number of vehicle burglaries on the north end of town.

But as officers delved into the burglaries, they were able to develop one man as a prime suspect. Intelligence reports listing him as a suspect and including information on the vehicle he might be driving were circulated among officers.

Attempts to find the suspect were futile until Detective Greg Gordon took it upon himself one night to try and find him. Within 30 minutes of leaving the station, Detective Gordon spotted the suspect’s vehicle, followed it and relayed the information to other officers via radio.

Detective Gordon followed the suspect to a house, waited outside and directed responding officers to various locations. While the area was being secured, the suspect got back into his vehicle and left the area, resulting in Detective Gordon coordinating a traffic stop where the suspect was taken into custody.

As a result, the suspect was charged with at least 14 burglaries with additional charges pending on him within the city and the county.

Because of his outstanding work on this case, Detective Greg Gordon is named Sertoma Officer of the Month for March.

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Officers didn’t know exactly what was going on when a man’s friends reported him missing.

His apartment was open and while one of his cats and car were missing, nothing inside the apartment indicated any type of struggle had occurred. Two days later, the man’s car was found in a parking lot off East Maxwell Street.

Officer Jim Bell took it upon himself to return to the area that night and check the area for evidence related to the crime. Officer Bell entered a fenced area in an abandoned lot not far from where the car was found and discovered the man’s body. The body, which had been there about a week, was hidden behind some bushes and partially covered.

Officer Mike Cyr was one of the officers who responded to the scene. He told a detective about a previous incident that had occurred in the same area, and mentioned it had some characteristics similar to this case. The detective was able to determine the suspect’s identity, he was taken into custody and confessed to the crime.

Because of their outstanding contributions to this case, Officers Mike Cyr and Jim Bell are named Officers of the Month for April.

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A vehicle pursuit was initiated after a highly intoxicated motorist refused to pull over and stop.

During the pursuit, the fleeing vehicle sustained two flat tires which caused large showers of sparks and flying debris. But as officers tried to get the driver to stop, the driver refused and continued to an area near Toni Street and Lanier Avenue where the driver crashed into a tree.

The vehicle immediately burst into flames and the unconscious driver was unable to get out.

Officer Ozzie Teeters approached the burning vehicle and tried to open the driver’s side door, but it was locked. The heat from the fire forced him to move to the rear driver’s side window where he used his flashlight to break the window, reach over the suspect and unlock the front door.

Officer Teeters was then able to remove the unconscious suspect from the vehicle.

Moments later, the vehicle was completely engulfed in flames. If Officer Teeters had not taken the actions he did, the motorist most likely would have died in the fire.

Because of his heroic acts, Officer Ozzie Teeters is named Sertoma Officer of the Month for April.

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OFFICERS OF THE MONTH FOR 2006

Burglars haven’t had much of a chance to escape undetected thanks, in part, to Officer Rodger Branton.

Here are two examples of recent cases he worked:

- In September, Officer Branton took a report of a burglary in the 1200 block of East Blount Street where someone had pried a window away from a building. Officer Branton processed the window and lifted several prints.

The prints were analyzed, a suspect identified and later arrested.

- In October, Officer Branton responded to the 2000 block of West Garden Street. The burglary report had been taken by the previous shift; however, an electric meter cover had been found and needed latent processing.

Officer Branton recovered latent prints from the cover. The prints were then analyzed. Once again, a suspect was identified and then arrested.

Because of his outstanding work on these two cases and other incidents, Officer Rodger Branton is named Officer of the Month for January.

The burglar thought he’d gotten the stolen goods and escaped.

But just the opposite proved true thanks to Officer Harry Barraclough and his K-9 partner Quintus.

The incident occurred at a home in the 200 block of West Lakeview Avenue, and Officer Barraclough and Quintus were soon on the scene to do a track. Unfortunately, the suspect managed to escape, but Quintus tracked to a house where witnesses said a man with a suitcase had asked for a ride.

Investigators later learned someone had given the suspect a ride to the area of Brent and Palafox streets. A short time later, the suspect was taken into custody and had various stolen items in his possession.

Officer Barraclough and Quintus were again summoned to the area where the suspect was found. During a search of a wooded area, Quintus unearthed several pieces of jewelry that had been stolen and buried by the suspect.

Because of their excellent work on this case, Officer Harry Barraclough and Quintus are commended and Officer Barraclough is named Officer of the Month for February.

He was initially wanted as a burglary suspect, but soon found himself also charged with sexually battering an elderly woman.

The charges might not have occurred had Officer Keith DeWise not spotted a man walking in the area of K and Intendencia streets while responding to a report of a suspicious person.

DeWise searched the man and found property on him that had just been taken from a nearby vehicle burglary. Additional questioning resulted in the suspect being charged with two residential burglaries, four vehicle burglaries and one criminal mischief.

In addition, the man was developed as a suspect in the sexual battery of an 84-year-old female. The woman was attacked and robbed in her home. She also was hospitalized for injuries she received during the attack.

Detectives were able to get a confession from the suspect and also charged him with the sexual battery.

Had Officer DeWise not stopped and initially interviewed and searched the suspect, these crimes might still be under investigation and a serious criminal offender still at large.

Because of his outstanding pro-active police work, Officer Keith DeWise is named Officer of the Month for March.

An 84-year-old woman was alone in her home when she was attacked and sexually battered by an unknown man.

During the incident, the victim received a fractured vertebra in her neck and was hospitalized for a number of days afterward. Additionally, the attacker rummaged through the residence and stole approximately $160 from the woman.

Detective Greg Gordon was assigned the case and immediately began canvassing the neighborhood.

Three days after the incident, a man was arrested in the woman’s neighborhood and charged with auto burglary.

Detective Gordon checked the suspect out of jail and took him to different locations within a 3-block radius of the victim’s home where residential and vehicle burglaries had been committed. As he neared the victim’s home, Gordon noted the suspect’s demeanor changed and he voluntarily said he didn’t have anything to do with that case.

Detective Gordon became suspicious and began focusing the sexual battery investigation on the suspect.

Several days later, Detective Gordon and Detective Tarlanda Gooden questioned the suspect about the sexual battery. Over the course of three interviews, the suspect admitted sexually battering the victim.

During the interviews, Detective Gooden got the suspect to open up and provide details that only the suspect, victim and law enforcement officers would know.

Because of their excellent example of teamwork, communication and investigative skills, Detectives Greg Gordon and Tarlanda Gooden are named Officers of the Month for April.

Officers Travis Pitts and Jerald Ard were doing some proactive patrol work near some railroad tracks under Navy Boulevard.

The area is known for criminal activity and also had been the setting for a recent sexual battery. As the officers approached the area with vehicle lights turned off, a vehicle was seen parked under the overpass. Officer Ard put his spotlight on the car and a man and woman were seen in the backseat.

Officer Pitts ran to the side of the car where the man was and immediately saw the woman’s wrists were bound with some sort of rope and she was partially nude. The suspect also had wrapped masking tape around her face and eyes.

The suspect was removed from the car, Officer Pitts began untying the woman and learned she was being sexually battered by the suspect. When the victim calmed down, she said the suspect told her he had a knife and threatened to kill her if she didn’t cooperate.

Because of proactive police work, the suspect was arrested before he could further harm the victim. In addition, another sexually battery that had occurred in that area also was cleared by his arrest.

Based upon his outstanding investigative skills on this incident, Officer Travis Pitts is named Officer of the Month for May.

Officer Todd Blackburn was patrolling around A and Gadsden streets when he saw a man rummaging through a parked vehicle.

When Officer Blackburn began asking the man what he was doing, the man became very nervous and evasive. Suspicious about the man’s behavior, Officer Blackburn requested another officer respond.

Further investigation revealed the suspect was attempting to support his cocaine habit by committing a burglary and taking items from the vehicle. When the owner of the vehicle showed up, he said he didn’t know the suspect, and the man was arrested and charged with vehicle burglary.

A few days earlier, Officer Blackburn did a traffic stop on another vehicle at Davis Highway and Wynnhurst Street. While checking out the suspect, Officer Blackburn learned he was on probation for stealing copper wire. Upon further inspection, Officer Blackburn found a pair of bolt cutters and a flashlight inside his vehicle.

Several hours later, Officer Blackburn responded to a burglary on North Davis where someone had tried to remove copper wire. He then forwarded information he’d gathered from the traffic stop to Investigations and a detective said it would be helpful in identifying a suspect.

Because of his outstanding work on these and other cases, Officer Todd Blackburn is named Officer of the Month for June.

Officer Charles Decker was looking for suspicious activity while on patrol near a lounge on North Ninth Avenue and happened to find it when he saw two males sitting in a parked car at the back of a business.

As he got out of his cruiser and approached the car, Officer Decker noticed the driver had an open container of alcohol between his legs and what appeared to be marijuana residue on the front of his shirt.

During a search of the driver, Officer Decker found a stash of narcotics in the cargo pockets of his pants. The narcotics included: A half-ounce of marijuana, nine grams of powdered cocaine, packets of crystal meth, Lortab, and a measuring scale. The narcotics had been packaged for distribution. Also seized from the suspect were $238 and the car.

The driver was arrested.

As a result of Officer Decker’s diligence and proactive police work, a substantial amount of narcotics that would have been sold were removed from the streets.

Because of his exemplary work on this and other patrol duties, Officer Charles Decker is named Officer of the Month for July.

When Officer Chad Willhite responded to a vehicle burglary, he learned a purse had been stolen and that the suspect had fled the scene in a vehicle with two women.

The witness was able to provide a license tag number for the vehicle, but the registered owner was in Alabama. Officer Willhite soon learned the suspects had dropped two subjects off at the location prior to the burglary.

Officer Willhite found and interviewed the subjects and got a nickname and possible address for the suspect. He then asked dispatch to forward the information to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

Later that afternoon, a deputy contacted a possible suspect at the address and Officer Willhite responded and interviewed a woman. The woman admitted being in the car but denied participating in the burglary. She then gave Officer Willhite names and addresses of other suspects.

Officer Willhite continued the investigation by contacting the male suspect, who admitted to the burglary. He took Officer Willhite to where some of the victim’s property was located. It was also learned the victim’s credit card had been used.

The suspect, who was arrested, implicated the woman Officer Willhite had previously interviewed in addition to another female. Warrants were issued for the two women.

Because of his persistence in solving this crime, Officer Chad Willhite is named Officer of the Month for August.

Since becoming a police officer in 2004, Jeff Brown has repeatedly excelled in his daily job performance.

Aside from his proactive approach to law enforcement, Officer Brown’s statistics support his job performance. For example, between May and September, Officer Brown recovered 10 stolen vehicles – five of them within 30 days. Two of the recoveries resulted in arrests.

Officer Brown’s calm demeanor and professional attitude in dealing with the public are other indicators he is doing an outstanding job. As one supervisor noted: Officer Brown has developed into a well-rounded officer with an uncanny ability to remember details.

Because of his day to day dedication to serving the public and this department, Officer Jeff Brown is named Officer of the Month for November.

It took just about five minutes between the time a man robbed a bank and he was taken into custody – thanks to the proactive police work of Officer Harry Barraclough.

Police were initially dispatched to the bank after the 58-year-old suspect approached a female teller, demanded money and indicated he had a weapon. The teller complied and the suspect left the area on foot.

As dispatchers relayed information to officers, Officer Barraclough was one of the first to arrive in the area of the bank. He soon found the suspect, who was walking with a cane about four blocks away, and asked dispatchers if bank employees had reported seeing him with one.

However, dispatchers could only relay clothing and hair descriptions on the suspect. Despite receiving confirmation on a “cane sighting,” Officer Barraclough relied upon his gut instinct.

Officer Barraclough got out with the suspect, who refused to stop and began quickly walking away from the officer. At that point, Officer Barraclough released his K-9 Quintus and the suspect was apprehended on the side of a house – but not before he struck Quintus with the cane while being taken into custody.

The bank’s money was found on the suspect, and he admitted robbing the bank.

Because of his excellent work on this and other cases, Officer Harry Barraclough is named Officer of the Month for December.

A diligent work ethic and positive attitude are what help give Detective Chris McBrayer one of the highest clearance rates among investigators this year.

Detective McBrayer is known for approaching all of his cases with an eager and willing attitude. He is passionate about his assignment – the investigation of white collar crimes – and readily accepts new challenges and cases.

Also, whenever another crime spins off into a fraud or forgery, Detective McBrayer contacts the detective assigned the case to see if he can work the investigation. This not only decreases the number of cases detectives have but also increases Detective McBrayer’s work load.

Additionally, Detective McBrayer has made many contacts in the banking industry resulting in the release of information in a more expedient manner. His attitude is a shining example to the banking industry that the Pensacola Police Department is ready and willing to help however possible.

Because of his dedication to his job and to the community, Detective Chris McBrayer is named Sertoma Officer of the Month for December.