Published: November 04, 2009 11:45 pm      

Recognizing top officers

GREENVILLE — For more than 20 years, the Greenville Kiwanis Club has recognized the finest examples of local law enforcement and firefighting with an annual awards program.

The tradition continued Tuesday during a luncheon ceremony at Shumardii’s in Greenville.

Kiwanis member Dan Perkins presided over the event, which has been conducted since 1988, and compared the efforts shown by the winners to the heroics shown by officers serving in the United States military.

“Every one of the people that we honor here today takes that type of risk, every day of their lives,” Perkins said. “They are people willing to sacrifice their lives for our protection.”

Police Chief Harold Roseberry presented Phillip Spencer as the Greenville Police Department Officer of the Year.

Roseberry said Spencer serves as the department’s training officer and has been with the department for the past five years, after serving eight years in Air Force security.

“He is very thorough in what he does,” Roseberry said. “We are very proud of Phillip. He has been instrumental in advancing our police department toward its goals.”

Spencer in turn expressed his appreciation for his fellow officers.

“Without them, I wouldn’t be here today,” he said.

Sheriff Randy Meeks named Tommy Grandfield as the Hunt County Sheriff’s Deputy of the Year. Grandfield has been with the sheriff’s office since 1994 and served with the jail, communications division and on patrol and advanced to the criminal investigations division (CID) five years ago.

“He currently is in charge of the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office CID,” Meeks said, noting Grandfield is known for his hard work and honesty. “I wish I had several Tommy Grandfields.”

Grandfield is one of only two individuals to be recognized twice by the Kiwanis Club as an officer of the year, having previously been honored in 2002.

The late David Dickson was honored once as a deputy and once as a police officer.

Grandfield said he hopes more of his fellow deputies will be named to the distinction in the years ahead.

“That’s what I’m trying to do now, is to bring everybody up to a new level of standard,” Grandfield said.

Deputy Fire Chief Jeremy Powell presented Brian West as the Greenville Firefighter of the Year. Powell said West was one of two firefighters who recently underwent rigorous training to become part of a swift water rescue team for the department.

“These guys really stepped up for us,” Powell said. “Brian had a whole lot to do with it.”

West said he was honored to receive the award.

“It really means a lot to me and to all of the others in the department who have won it,” West said.

The honorees are designated by their supervisors and their names are inscribed on plaques which rest on the walls of their respective offices.