The Cary Chapter, in its first year chose to sponsor an Officer of the Year award. The award was named for George Almond. Almond, a PBA member, was shot in the line of duty in October 2001. Almond survived the shooting and returned to duty as a Detective in juvenile investigations before retiring in August 2004.

The award recognizes exemplary performance in the areas of leadership, community service, mentoring, excellence in performance, and valor. Detective Jim Grier was selected as the 2006 winner of the award in ceremonies at the Embassy Suites in Cary on February 17, 2007.

The second annual awards banquet will be held at the Embassy Suites in Cary on March 15, 2008. The finalists for this years award are Chris Hoina, Jim Young, Greg Savage, Adam Dismukes, and Glenn Mitchell. District Court Judge Craig Croom will be the keynote speaker for the event.  Gerald Owens a WRAL-TV anchor and the host of NC Wanted will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. The Cary Chapter is also partnering with Cary Crime Stoppers for this event. Cary Crime Stoppers will hold a silent auction at the event. Katherine Fritsch will return to this years event to sing the national anthem. George Almond will be a guest speaker and will also present the awards to the recipients including the final winner.

According to Cary Chapter President Randy Byrd, “The Cary chapter has been very committed to this project since its inception. Our first year was a phenomenal success and speaks volumes to the respect that George Almond has with fellow officers and the community he once served. In creating this award we wanted to ensure that George’s sacrifice for the citizen’s of the Town of Cary is never forgotten, while at the same time recognizing exemplary performance by those following in his footsteps.”

For more information about tickets to the event or participating as a host or sponsor, please contact Randy Byrd at 1-800-233-3506 ext. 311 or by email at rbyrd@sspba.org.

                                 

Craig Croom                                          Gerald Owens      

Katherine Fritsch