Public Service Appreciation

The Rotary Club of Henry County recognized several members of the county’s public safety community at its meeting Monday, February 13, 2017. We hosted 21 visitors from the county and city’s police departments, fire departments and sheriff’s deparment, as we honored 8 outstanding public servants here in Henry County. Each honoree was thanked for his service to our community and presented with a rtic tumbler.Below is the article that ran in the Henry Daily Herald local newpaper.

The Rotary Club of Henry County recognized several members of the county’s public safety community at its meeting Monday, February 13, 2017.

Representatives from the Henry County fire, police and sheriff’s departments, as well as members of the city of McDonough fire and police departments and the Hampton police department, were honored for their “unwavering commitment to public safety.”

“Rotary supports our first responders and are proud to have this opportunity to recognize the best of the best here in Henry County,” Rotary Club president Christy Collier said.

Each agency’s command staff selected one employee to be honored for their outstanding service to the Henry County community over the last year. Honorees, their colleagues and their families were treated to lunch at PJ’s Cafe in McDonough.

Maj. Robert Savage with the Henry County Police Department commended Detective David LeCroy, who works in the department’s Criminal Investigation Division. LeCroy is the lead investigator for the Moccasin Gap case, the Oct. 2016 quadruple homicide “that rocked this community,” Savage said.

“He sticks his neck out on the line for us,” he said.

LeCroy has been a part of the Henry County community 34 years, and he said he’s seen the county grow and change, not without its growing pains.

“We work very hard,” LeCroy said of the law enforcement community. “To actually see someone out in the community recognize that and bring us here to thank us for that, we’re very thankful.”

Hampton Police Chief Derrick Austin thanked Sgt. Larry King for his community outreach work. King has spent time in the Hampton schools, Austin said, and recognized the need for positive relationships with community children who may be wary or scared of police officers.

King developed the department’s Cops Day program, an annual event that allows children to interact with law enforcement in a city park “so that these kids realize that law enforcement is not a bad thing,” Austin said.

Investigator Jermaine Hicks was also honored for his community outreach contributions. He serves on the McDonough Police Department’s new Pro-active Community Engagement (PACE) unit.

“Investigator Hicks is the one you see out here (in the community) spending time with these young kids, making sure they understand that we are here to help, not to hurt,” McDonough Police Chief Preston Dorsey said.

McDonough Fire Chief Steve Morgan said he left it up to his staff to choose an award recipient. Eric Stewart, a 29-year senior employee of the McDonough Fire Department, was selected by his peers and is well-respected in the department, Morgan said.

Sgt. Jimmie Spence with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office and Battalion Chief Steve Copeland with the Henry County Fire Department were also recognized for their service but were not present at the meeting Monday.

Honorees were presented with engraved aluminum drinking tumblers adorned with the Rotary International insignia and the words “thank you for your outstanding service.”