A ceremony held on Tuesday, April 25, 2017 at the Delaware State University, Superintendent of the Delaware State Police, Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr., announced the winners of the annual Trooper of the Year and Civilian of the Year awards.
Trooper of the Year
Each year the Delaware State Police Executive Staff selects one trooper for the Trooper of the Year Award. To be nominated, a trooper must exceed performance standards and be recognized by his or her peers as one who consistently displays integrity and work ethic.
This year, ten Delaware State Troopers were nominated. The Executive Staff selected Trooper First Class Christopher Garcia from Troop 4 as the 2016 Trooper of the Year for his outstanding efforts and contributions to the Division and the citizens of Delaware.
Tfc. Garcia has been a member of the Delaware State Police since February 21, 2014. In Tfc. Garcia’s brief career, he has already shown he is a dedicated, highly motivated, and hardworking Trooper. Tfc. Garcia prides himself on reflecting a good image of the Delaware State Police to the public, his fellow Troopers, and other law enforcement agencies. While on duty, Tfc. Garcia always displays a terrific work ethic, and he is always the first person to answer a call on the radio to assist an Officer in need. Almost every shift that he works, he is conducting vehicle searches where he locates illegal drugs. These stops have often led to the recovery of guns and additional criminal activity such as prostitution.
Tfc. Garcia devotes large amounts of his time with activities that build strong community bonds. He does so through community events, recruiting, translation for other units and agencies and even speaking with students at school events. Tfc. Garcia also helps to raise money for the Delaware Special Olympics by dedicating his off time to get sponsors and donations. Tfc. Garcia is currently a part time recruiter and he has assisted with applicant oral boards and other recruiting procedures for DSP Recruit Classes. He has also displayed willingness to continue growing in his role by participating in numerous training courses. Additionally, Tfc. Garcia has demonstrated a desire to become a staple in his community by being very proactive in the Hispanic community.
Tfc. Garcia is a Certified Spanish Translator and he assisted GTF, Drug Unit, CRU, Major Crimes, Financial Crimes, Property Crimes, Homicide Unit, Headquarters and Patrol Units in Sussex County with countless translations and interviews in 2016.
Civilian of the Year
Each year the Delaware State Police Executive Staff selects one civilian employee for the Civilian of the Year Award. Civilian employees who are nominated for this award display outstanding performance and meet the following criteria:
Exceptional service as identified by the employee’s performance evaluations
A consistent record of such service through their years of employment
Recognition by their peers for outstanding character and integrity.
This year, nine civilian Delaware State Police employees were nominated. The Executive Staff of the Delaware State Police selected M. Lisa Seymour from the State Bureau of Identification as the 2016 Civilian of the Year.
Lisa Seymour began her career 23 years ago within the Finger Print Section of Delaware State Police’s State Bureau of Identification as a latent print examiner. Through her hard work, passion for her chosen career path and dedication to the Delaware state Police, and the citizenry we serve, she worked her way up the ranks and now serves as the Automated Finger Print Systems (AFIS) Biometric Administrator at SBI while supervising nine subordinates.
Ms. Seymour is an extremely conscientious, unselfish, and dedicated employee who takes great pride in her work. Her administration, peers and subordinates recognize Lisa as having outstanding character and integrity. Having a pleasant personality, she is loved and respected by everyone at SBI and by many who know her from other DSP sections and outside law enforcement entities.
In addition to the Trooper of the Year and Civilian of the Year Awards, Delaware State Police awarded 41 troopers with citations for Exceptional Performance, Life Saving, or Acts of Valor. The troopers receiving the citations are listed below.
Exceptional Performance
Trooper Zachery Bonniwell, Trooper First Class Matthew McHenry, Trooper Benjamin Nefosky, Trooper First Class Jennifer Buzzuro, Corporal Brock Adkins, Trooper First Class Christopher Garcia, Master Corporal David Hanich, Detective William Harris , Detective Christian Hevelow, Detective John Penrod, Detective Scott Weaver, Trooper Chase Lawson, Master Corporal Daniel McColgan, Trooper Earle Marchione, Corporal James J.J. Smith, Corporal Adam Jewell, Trooper First Class Andrew Jones, Corporal Joshua Scaramazza
Life Saving
Senior Corporal Michael Branch, Corporal Grade One Mark Thomas, Lieutenant Ed Schiavi, Master Corporal Elvin Thompson, Corporal Mike McCann, Corporal Nicholas Ciglinsky, Corporal Brock Adkins, Corporal Patrick Schlimer, Trooper First Class Christopher Garcia, Trooper First Class Dustin Yencer, Master Corporal Natalie George, Trooper First Class Matthew Kerrigan, Sergeant Jeremiah Lloyd, Master Corporal Mark Ryde, Trooper First Class Michael Spudis, Trooper Corporal Wyatt Bullock, Corporal Grade One Jason Sydnor, Corporal Brian McDerby, Trooper First Class Eric Saccomanno
Valor
Trooper Randel Abrenica, Corporal Sean Rodrigues, Senior Corporal Edwin Justiniano, Master Corporal Scott Mauchin, Trooper First Class Pierre Lawler
