The City of Alcoa announced today that police officer Jeff Parsons was recently honored as Officer of the Year by the Fraternal Order of Police Bud Allison Memorial Lodge #9. This was the first year for the award presentation.

Parsons has been with the Alcoa Police Department since February 2004 and currently serves as the department’s senior Field Training officer. In that capacity, he has been willing to work any shift to train new officers; allowing them to be exposed to a variety of situations. Parsons mentors and inspires confidence in new officers while showing great pride in the department and the community he serves.

His accomplishments leading to his award recognition include:

§ Became a certified child passenger safety seat technician

§ Authored a grant request that led to the department receiving several child safety seats

§ Oversaw the updating of the department’s safety trailer with new decals and paint.

§ Set up two child safety seat checkpoint events in partnership with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and the Blount County Sheriff’s Office

§ Organized the “APD is MADD about Drunk Driving” event which raised over $2,000 for the Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) initiative.

§ Recommended six people to receive the Governor’s Highway Safety Office (GHSO) “Saved by the Belt” certificate. The program recognizes individuals whose lives were saved or injuries significantly reduced because they were wearing a safety belt or protected by an air bag and safety belt at the time of a crash. It reinforces and encourages the use of life-saving motor vehicle protection through public awareness. The six submissions for the recognition were more than any other agency in East Tennessee, according to GHSO Law Enforcement Liaison Steve Dillard.

§ Organized two seat belt campaigns with Alcoa businesses during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. ”Alcoa Police say, don’t be a turkey, buckle up” and “Santa and Alcoa Police are watching, buckle up” messages were displayed by Alcoa business marquees.

§ Worked tirelessly and voluntarily on the department’s submission to the Governor’s Highway Safety Office Law Enforcement Challenge. The challenge is an incentive/award program designed to award law enforcement agencies for outstanding achievements regarding highway safety enforcement and education programs throughout the state.

City of Alcoa police Sgt. Keith Fletcher, who nominated Officer Parsons for the award, stated, “Police officers such as Officer Parsons make the City of Alcoa a safer place to live and work.” Alcoa Police Chief Ken Burge stated, “I want to say congratulations on the FOP award as Police Officer of the Year for 2010! From my observation, it is an award that Jeff truly deserved!” Burge continued by saying he wanted “to offer a personal note of thanks from all of APD for the terrific job Jeff has been doing for the community and the PD.”