Cary Chapter to Host Officer of the Year Banquet

Award Named for Retired Detective George Almond

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. Five finalists were selected from a group of nominees. They are Sheri Abraham, Wyatt Crabtree, Jim Grier, Brian Smith, and Jim Young. Sheri Abraham, who was raised in Apex, is a graduate of Appalachian State University and worked as a state park ranger before joining the Cary Police Department in 1999. Her father, Dennis Woody, retired as a Lieutenant with the Cary Police Department. Sheri currently is assigned as a Detective to the Investigations and Family Services Team. Wyatt Crabtree is originally from Concord, California. He served in the United States Army before joining the Cary Police Department in 1996. He continues to serve his country in the United States Coast Guard Reserve. In that capacity he has been deployed three times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He currently serves as a patrol Sergeant assigned to the Field Services Division. Jim Grier is originally from New York and worked for a number of years with the Binghamton Police Department before transferring to the Cary Police Department in 1998. His son, Josh, is an officer with the Apex Police Department. Jim currently is assigned as a Detective to the Investigations and Family Services Team. Brian Smith is originally from Durham where he attended Southern High School. He joined the Cary Police department in 1995 and has worked in a variety of assignments before becoming a School Resource Officer. He was named as a Town of Cary Employee of the Year nominee in 2006. He currently is assigned to Green Hope High School. Jim Young, originally from Salisbury, graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill before starting his law enforcement career with the Cary Police Department in 1994. In 1997, Jim left the agency to work for the Greensboro Police Department before returning to Cary in 2001. Jim is a former Eagle Scout and was recognized as an Officer of the Month while with the Greensboro Police Department. His grandfather was also a law enforcement officer. He currently is assigned as a Detective to the Investigations and Family Services Team.

The award will be presented by Almond at an event at the Embassy Suites in Cary on February 17, 2007. According to Cary Chapter President Randy Byrd, “The chapter has been very committed to this project. 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