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Escambia Sheriff’s Office Presents Awards
January 24, 2010
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department presented a Medal of Valor to one of its own and honored about five dozen employees and citizens during their annual awards ceremony.
Investigator Curtis Cephas was awarded the Medal of Valor for rescuing a man from a burning building last year. While off duty on July 3, 2009, Cephas was informed by a local citizen that a nearby house was on fire. Deputy Cephas ran to the house, noticed smoke pouring from inside, and began searching the home to determine if anyone was inside.
After discovering that the home’s occupant was inside and unable to escape the fire, Deputy Cephas proceeded to enter the burning house and found the resident inside and immobile. He succeeded in pulling the man outside and safely away from the fire.
Cephas was also honored in the United States House of Representatives last week, with Congressman Jeff Miller saying: “Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to recognize Deputy Curtis Cephas for going above and beyond the call of duty. He is a hero to the community and a true public servant. My wife Vicki and I wish Deputy Cephas and his family all the best for the future.”
A large number of the awards presented were to investigators, deputies and other sheriff’s office employees that worked on the investigation of the July 9 murder of Byrd and Melanie Billings in Beulah. Ashley Markham, the daughter of Byrd Billings, attended the ceremony along with her husband Blue Markham. Ashley Markham hugged and personally thanked each person involved in the investigation of her parents’ murders that resulted in the arrests of eight suspects within 118 hours.
Awards were presented as follows:
Law Enforcement Officer of the Quarter: Deputy Donald Lewis
Detention Deputy of the Quarter: Matthew Roth
Employee of the Quarter: Sally Valetta
Detention Employee of the Quarter: Debbie Funderburg
Life Saving Medals: Rebecca Simpson, Charles Dickin
Letter of Commendation: Juneal Whitchard (citizen), Sherrie Enderson (citizen), Shelley Dill, Allen Anderson, Terry Hammock, Jennifer Lovely-Gandy, Cathy Eckols, Scott Seely.
Unit Citations: Pct. 1/ Pensacola Beach – which will include a Meritorious Service Medal for Lt. Joseph Eddins; B Shift Detention
Medal of Distinction: RMA Tracy Hardaway, RN Lisa Seabrook, LPN Bobby Hawkins
Medal of Valor: Curtis Cephas
Billings Medals
Meritorious Service: Medal Captain Bruce Wood
Commendation Medals: Ray Briggs, Lieutenant Rusty Hoard, Sergeant Donald “Buddy” NeSmith, Jr. Sergeant Tom Watts, Master Deputy Tama Barber, Senior Deputy Lee Tyree, Senior Deputy Christopher Baggett, Senior Deputy Zack Ward, Deputy 1st Class Terry Hardy, Deputy 1st Class Bobby Guy, Deputy 1st Class Brian Shorette, Deputy 1st Class Breina Hammond, Criminal Intelligence Technician Melissa Aiken , Protocol Sena Maddison, Protocol
Commendation Medals: Patrol Doyle Gresham, Sergeant Marcus Murphy, Sergeant Shedrick Johnson, Sergeant Kevin Pachucki, Deputy 1st Class Christopher Phelps, Deputy 1st Class Scott Seely, Deputy Sheriff Mark Pearson, Deputy Sheriff Walter Thomas, Deputy Sheriff
Unit Citation: Stan Wehmeier, Sergeant Christine, Percell, Crime Scene Technician Will Bradley, Crime Scene Jennifer Jones, Crime Scene Technician Jennifer Norman, Crime Scene Technician Wayne Wright, Crime Scene Technician Lacey Oden, Crime Scene Technician Scott Glazebrook, Latent Print Examiner Marybeth Bryie, Latent Print Examiner
Achievement medal: David Craig
Letter of Commendation:Marlene Lutz, Secretary Rebecca Edmondson, Secretary Robbie Leverett, Victim Advocate
Employee of the year: Vicki Hodge
Deputy of the year: Lafe Highfill
Detention deputy of the year: James Mayberry
Detention employee of the year: Debbie Funderburg
Comments
7 Responses to “Escambia Sheriff’s Office Presents Awards”
The last Sheriff did it too. He just didn’t toot his own horn by notifying the press about everything that occurrs.
It’s good to see our new sheriff recognizing and giving honors to the deserving men and women. Proud of our Sheriff and his team! Keep up the good work.
There are only a few on that list that actually went above and beyond their regular duty. The rest earned it by just doing their job, that they already get paid to do. To the ones who really earned it, congratulations.
Way to go Lafe! Congratulations!!!
That’s right!
you must have put in an application and been refused.
too bad i dont see no northend names wonder why ?? oh yea they dont deserve it