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RICHMOND, Va. - The Defense Supply Center Richmond, Va., Police Department received the Defense Logistics Agency 2013 Police Activity of the Year Award Feb. 3.
DLA Aviation Commander Brig. Gen. Mark Johnson hosted the ceremony. Bruce Thomas, deputy staff director for DLA Security and Emergency Services, traveled from DLA Headquarters to present the award.
“It is an honor to be here today to assist in this presentation,” Thomas said. “You truly exemplify excellent; achieving this award translates to achieving the highest degree of excellence.”
Thomas explained that the award process included nomination reviews by a diverse committee from DLA. The committee looks at mission performance as a unit with emphasis on prevent, protect and respond; evaluates the activity for installation involvement and community support; looks at how individual performance enhances police integrity and contributes to the overall outstanding work of the force; and lastly, looks at the results of various program reviews, formal inspections, test and other evaluations conducted during the evaluation period.
“One of the things I wanted to highlight is the fact that you deterred and prevented any acts of terrorism or major crimes occurring on the installation,” Thomas noted. “Sometimes we take that for granted and expect (the installation) to be secure, but as a result of events at the Washington Navy Yard and Fort Hood, Texas, we see that things can happen on [an] installation.
“What people don’t see is the day-in and day-out things that you do: the 1,700 calls and two-minute average response time,” Thomas said. “That is absolutely outstanding! Congratulations on a fantastic job.”
Police department members received certificates of appreciation from David Rodriguez, director of DLA Installation Support.
Col. John Manson, chief of DLA Police at DSCR, thanked base leaders for their support of the department.
“We have fantastic community support. Bar none, we have the top and utmost in community support that enables us to do the things we do. I have yet to hear an employee complain. We are very appreciative of that. We get phenomenal support from up and down our chain of command, whether its equipment or giving us the tools we need.”
Manson also spoke about internal and external relationships with partners in Chesterfield County’s police, fire and emergency services.
“Again, top of the line, if we ask for it … we get it, no questions asked. And we are looking forward to continuing that kind of relationship and appreciate your support,” he said.
Johnson closed the ceremony by adding his congratulations to the police department.
“Our police department is an outstanding group of individuals who have come together as an outstanding team,” he said.
He also lauded local emergency services partners.
“Thank you for what you do every single day. You back us up, we know you are there, and we are here for you as well,” he said. “Thanks for being here to share this moment with us.”
Johnson told the audience that like many in DLA last year, the police department worked in an uncertain fiscal environment, yet, still managed to be one of only two DLA police departments finishing the fiscal year by under-executing the agency’s established overtime target by 37 percent.
“That’s a big deal,” he said. “That is money going back to the taxpayers.”
Johnson highlighted efforts taken by the department last year that helped earn them this award, including reorganizing to increase effectiveness and efficiency, and being proactive and sharing resources and training opportunities with local law enforcement trainers and agencies.
Johnson highlighted that the installation recently hosted an Active Shooter Response Train-the-Trainer Course for local law enforcement and community colleges across the United States and mentioned ongoing certification by one of the installation’s police officers to become certified by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Police Department in Rape Aggression Defense training.
“These are just two examples of going above and beyond, building positive relationships with center employees, with local law enforcement agencies and with community schools, hospitals and organizations,” he said.
“For what you all do every single day, we don’t say thanks enough,” Johnson said. “But every day when I come through the gate, I guarantee I’m saying thank you for what you do, and I mean it. Thanks for being the best police department in DLA.”
| Date Taken: | 02.03.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 02.20.2014 14:11 |
| Story ID: | 120902 |
| Location: | RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 440 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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