Wake Forest University Police Department announces annual awards and honorees
The Wake Forest University Police Department (UPD) held its annual awards ceremony virtually on Jan. 28 to recognize staff and campus and community partners for their contributions to the department and its mission.
“Keeping our campus safe is a shared responsibility, and it takes all of us working together to make that happen. That is why campus and community partners are so important,” said Wake Forest University Police Chief Regina Lawson.
The UPD presented the WFU Office of Residence Life and Housing with the “Campus Partner Award” for its dedicated support and collaboration amid the pandemic. Assistant Vice President of Campus Life and Dean of Residence Life and Housing, Matt Clifford accepted the award on behalf of the staff.
The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Emergency Management team was recognized with the “Community Partner Award.”
UPD staff honorees include:
- Communications Officer Thomas Harris – “Communications Officer of the Year”
- Security Officer John Smith – “Security Officer of the Year”
- Officer J.B. Davis – “Police Officer of the Year”
- Security Supervisor Chris Batista – “Best Team Player”
- Paul Hudson – “Going the Extra Mile COVID Award”
- Officer Jeff Holleman – “Thomas W. Slater Jr. RAD (Rape Aggression Defence) Award,” in recogition of his dedication to the program and service as an instructor
- Emergency Services Manager Chauncey Bowers – “James Worthington Award,” which recognizes overall excellence in emergency services management
Honorees appear below in order from top left to bottom right.
Categories: Inside WFU, Staff News
University Police Department honors communications officers on Facebook, other social media
This week, as part of a national initiative, the Wake Forest University Police Department is honoring all of its telecommunicators/communications officers, meaning those who take phone calls (and electronic messages) coming into the department any time of the day or night, every day of the year.
This week, April 12-18, is observed across the United States as National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week. For a city such as Winston-Salem, it is the men and women who staff the local 911 center who are being recognized. On the Wake Forest campus, it is the men and women working in the University Police Department’s own communications center being shown appreciation for their efforts to serve the University community 24/7.
One way the University is demonstrating that appreciation is by using the University’s Facebook account to introduce the campus community and others to the people behind the voice that callers hear when they call the department with emergencies and non-emergencies. The department is also using its Twitter and Instagram accounts.
“We want students, faculty and staff to have an opportunity to see the faces of our communications officers and learn a little about them through Facebook,” said Dennette “Dee” Lilly, who leads the communications center. “It’s been a pleasure to see the Facebook posts begin showing up this week. We have a dedicated team of communications officers.”
Some of the communications officers have been in their jobs for many years. The first post of the week featured Rodney Gardner, who has been with the department for 17 years, and Diane Henderson, a seven-year department veteran. As is often the case with the communications center’s staff, each have considerable experience with first-responder agencies. Gardner has been associated with the South Stokes Fire Department for 46 years and worked at Stokes County’s 911 Center before joining Wake Forest’s police department. Henderson is a retired K9 officer from the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department.
Other communications officers being recognized on Facebook this week include Mark Young, Thomas Harris, Brien James, Jerry Brown, Jennifer Pitts, Nancy Via, Tyler Harrison, Breann Edwards, Brian Wicker, Sonya Hart and Shaun Love.
The department is also honoring Emergency Manager Chauncey Bowers, police Sgt. Craig Bullins and records management coordinator Dawn Watkins, who work closely with the communications center, and Greg Collins, an Information Systems staff member whose responsibilities including providing considerable technical support to the center. Bowers’ emergency management responsibilities include oversight of the communications center.
By the time the week concludes, Lilly hopes the University community will have a better awareness of the communications officers and the importance of their contributions to the police department and the University community.
Categories: Inside WFU, Staff News
