The Olympic Peninsula Chapter 74 of the International Footprint Association honored the achievements of 11 Clallam County law enforcement and public safety organizations at its 16th-annual Officer of the Year banquet, held in mid-May at the Sequim Elks Lodge for Law Enforcement Week.
Program chairman Gene Mattson and chapter president Sandra Strafford presented special recognition plaques to officers selected by their agencies who have excelled in their careers by going “above and beyond.”
Among those honored were: PenCom Communications records specialist Jodi Simmons (represented by regional administrative coordinator Susan Craig); corrections deputy Owen McCann (represented by Clallam County Sheriff Brian King); Sequim Police Department officer Taran Johnson (represented by Sgt. Carolee Edwards); Kyle Buchanan, Port Angeles Police Department officer (represented by Port Angeles police chief Brian Smith); Cody Hesler, Elwha Klallam Police Department officer (represented by Elwha Klallam police chief Sam White); Washington State Patrol trooper Lynden Schwilke (represented by trooper Eric Ellefson); Sgt. Tanner House, Clallam Bay Corrections Center (represented by center superintendent Jeri Boe); Elizabeth Hagaman, Port Angeles Fire Department firefighter/paramedic trainee (represented by district chief Derrell Sharpe); Captain Marty Martinez (represented by district chief Jake Patterson); Brandan Tucker, volunteer EMT with Clallam County Fire District 3 (represented by district chief Dan Orr); and, Lt. David Benzick, Clallam County Fire District 4 (represented by district chief Greg Waters).
The Footprinters is a nonprofit organization whose primary mission is “to promote fellowship, respect, cooperation and helpfulness among all arms of law enforcement/firefighting and the public.”
The group also looks to promote the welfare of its members and communities to “champion the true spirit of Americanism” by supporting such civic activities as charitable works, sponsoring youth group activities and awarding scholarships for young people interested in law enforcement and firefighting.
