The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today recognized four Division of Law Enforcement staff members for outstanding job performance, announcing the Officer of the Year, Agent of the Year, Employee of the Year, and Manager of the Year for 2010 at the Division of Law Enforcement’s annual Holiday Luncheon and Awards Ceremony.
“I am proud to have such hard-working and committed members on my team who continue to give one hundred percent each day in their respective duties,” said DEP Division of Law Enforcement Director Henry Barnet. “These four individuals have far exceeded our expectations and truly deserve the honor that accompanies the awards they were presented.”
The four division awards winners were selected based upon job performance, public service, improving coordination or cooperation within or outside the division and setting a positive example.
Awards were presented to the following employees:
Officer of the Year – Officer Garrett Creamer, Bureau of Park Police Northwest District, has been a member of the division for more than two years. On two separate occasions this year, Officer Creamer acted to save lives, render aid, and obtain medical assistance for the victims. In May, he was the first on scene at a traffic crash and extinguished a fire that nearly destroyed a vehicle that still had victims trapped inside. In June, Officer Creamer’s quick thinking and ability to act saved a child’s life by quickly moving her away from a motor home that was ablaze just moments before it exploded. Officer Creamer’s courageous performance of duty reflects his selfless dedication to service.
Agent of the Year – Special Agent Derrell Jones, Criminal Investigations Bureau Northeast District, has been a member of the division for more than nine years. As the lead investigator in a complex fuel fraud case that began in Jacksonville and expanded throughout Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia, Special Agent Jones provided overall direction and operational planning for all agencies involved in the investigation, including local, state, and federal law enforcement entities. As a result of his team’s efforts, hundreds of well documented felony charges were presented to the prosecutor; ten suspects, including the ringleader, were arrested; and a major criminal enterprise operating in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia was put out of business.
Employee of the Year – Jennifer Jones, Office of the Director, has been a member of the division for more than three years. Jennifer serves as website manager, medical monitoring coordinator, press office liaison, awards committee chair, and outreach coordinator for the division. She was instrumental in the acquisition of the 877-DEP-LAW1 hotline which allows the public to make direct calls to the Regional Communications Centers for Park Police assistance. Her communications skills were invaluable during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill incident, where Jennifer supported DEP’s major public information responsibilities. Jennifer’s initiative, willingness, and “behind the scenes” organization make division events and projects seem to be accomplished effortlessly.
Manager of the Year – Chief Ron Cave, Office of Training and Professional Standards, has been a member of the division for more than one year. From October to December 2009, he worked tirelessly in leading and organizing the work of the accreditation team and saw the division through a nearly flawless on-site assessment leading to successful accreditation of the division. Chief Cave has demonstrated dedication to continuous improvement, displayed by a significant increase in training hours delivered by the Office of Training and Professional Standards. He is considered to be one of the most capable law enforcement leaders in state government, as evidenced by his rapid rise to Chairman of the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission’s Region 15 and his current role as president of the State Law Enforcement Chiefs’ Association.
