btb-feb2013

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Behind the Badge > FeBruary 2013 Much has happened in the St. Petersburg Police department since the last edition of Behind the Badge. this edition will highlight our most recent promotions, those who have received awards, and some interesting photographs from 2012. Several outstanding individuals were promoted in december 2012, including assistant Chief Melanie Bevan, Lieutenant gary dukeman, Sergeants rickey Barber, david gerardo, Jerry hensley, Brian C. taylor, Christopher Vaughan, and Communications Supervisor eileen Maloney. i firmly believe their leadership skills will have a significant effect on the future of our department. Congratulations to detective ricardo Lopez and Sergeant Michael Bush for their selection as the 2012 recipients of the ned March/Bud Purdy award. Many are probably unaware that detective ricardo Lopez, who is currently serving as an acting Sergeant in uSB, is also the chairman of a new committee tasked with putting together a proposal for a department yearbook for our employees. We will have more details about that soon. reserve Officer Jay Brubaker was selected as the 2012 reserve Officer of the year. Sergeant Thomas Baitinger EOW: January 24, 2011 StRaight fRoM the Chief By Chief Charles “ChuCk” harmon In MeMorIaM K-9 Officer Jeffrey Yaslowitz EOW: January 24, 2011 Page 2 On February 20, 2013, Vice President Joe Biden and u. S. attorney general eric holder presented the national Medal of Valor awards in a ceremony at the White house to fallen Sergeant thomas Baitinger and also to Sergeant Karl Lounge, Officers douglas Weaver, Max Mcdonald and timothy McClintick for their actions during the January 24, 2011, shootout with a barricaded fugitive, in which Baitinger and K-9 Officer Jeffrey yaslowitz were both killed. thomas Baitinger’s wife Paige accepted her late husband’s medal on his behalf. Sergeant Karl Lounge and Officer douglas Weaver were also named by the Florida attorney general’s Office as the 2012 Florida Law enforcement Officers of the year. Kudos go out to Lauren Lofton, daughter of george Lofton, and her classmates at the Pinellas Park high School’s Criminal Justice academy for their leadership in getting support for some upcoming legislation to create a new specialty Florida license plate they designed to honor fallen officers. Lastly, we devoted the month of February to reemphasizing the department’s gun Bounty Program and to using a selected team of officers to focus on criminals with guns and the confiscation of illegal guns in our community. this effort is still under way, but we hope to have the results from this initiative in the next edition of Behind the Badge. Officer David Crawford EOW: February 21, 2011
Sergeant Michael Bush from page 1 Lieutenant Scott Macdonald nominated Michael for this award with a quote from theodore roosevelt to summarize his law enforcement career, “Far away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” Michael has served as a Police Officer, dui-traffic Officer, Field training Officer and a charter member of the Street Crimes unit (SCu). after his promotion, he served as a Sergeant in Patrol, a Field training Sergeant and as a Sergeant in SCu. he currently supervises a seven officer squad in Patrol whose collective tenure ranges from a new recruit to veterans with over 22 years of service. he does an excellent job of tailoring his supervisory style to the experience of each officer, and the result has been a very productive and efficient squad of police officers. Michael’s squad has been very instrumental in addressing the issues of drugs and prostitution at some of the motels along 34th Street. Michael is the Commander of the hostage negotiator unit and the assistant Commander of the department Special events response team (Sert). he has been given these positions because of his supervisory skills and because of the fact that he possesses all of the traits required for effective negotiation, including excellent verbal skills and a calm, rational demeanor. Sergeant Bush is also the lead instructor for the Crisis intervention team (Cit), equipping police officers to deal with persons in mental health or substance abuse crisis. he received the iriS award in 2010 and in 2012 from the national alliance for Mental illness (naMi) and was also nominated for the Cit Officer of the year in 2011. Michael is a state certified instructor and the department’s lead instructor in the use of the taser. he has amassed an impressive repertoire of teaching experience in this field and few people are better qualified to teach this curriculum. he also trains new members of the Civilian review Committee (CrC) in search and seizure and use of force. Sergeant Bush with wife Sergeant Bonnie Bush Page 3 he spent two years developing and planning for the department’s response to the crowds expected at the republican national Convention (rnC) in august, 2012. he trained supervisors and police officers to help prepare them for the rnC Welcome event at tropicana Field in august, 2012. Michael’s work performance brings him much respect from his peers, subordinates and the public alike, so he is most deserving of this prestigious award. >>WWW.StPete.Org/POLiCe
Page 1: Sergeant Michael BuSh and detective
Page 5 and 6: St. Pete offiCeRS awaRDeD nationaL
Page 7 and 8: Officer Brubaker joined the St Pete
Page 9 and 10: aDoPt an angeL foR the hoLiDayS 201
Page 11 and 12: Promoted to assistant Chief of Poli
Page 13 and 14: PRoMotionS Sergeant rickey Barber j
Page 15 and 16: Sergeant Christopher Vaughan joined
Page 17 and 18: Drug Round-up Fallen Officer Memori

btb-feb2013

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