FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2007
CONTACT: Sgt. R.K. Hughes, 803-896-8164
DPS RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING TROOPERS FOR 2006
COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Department of Public Safety Director James Schweitzer and Highway Patrol Col. Russell Roark presented awards on June 6 to troopers from around the state for their exceptional service in 2006.
2006 Trooper of the Year: L/Cpl. D.E. Davis:
The Trooper of the Year (and Troop Three Nominee) was L/Cpl. D.E. Davis. L/Cpl. Davis was noted for stopping a vehicle for speeding only to discover a woman in labor. Davis, who is a certified paramedic, safely delivered the baby on the side of the roadway in Greenville County. Also during 2006, L/Cpl. Davis made 53 driving under the influence arrests and made six drug-related cases. The father of three also began the “Bears with Bears” Program in 2000 in which troopers distribute bears to children in hospitals during the holidays. His dedication to his enforcement activity and community service earned him the title of Trooper of the Year.
The Troop One winner was Lance Corporal A.L. Gleaton. He is a member of the National Guard and has been on active duty three times since 2003. He was recognized for his leadership and the seamless way he is able to return to his job as trooper after his Guard duties. He is best known for his professionalism and for always being there to assist his fellow troopers for the good of the overall mission. He diligently follows and studies crash data to effectively build his enforcement efforts around those statistics.
The Troop Two winner L/Cpl. A.L. Duncan consistently maintains a high level of enforcement activity. In 2006, he made a total of 26 DUI arrests and many drug arrests. He was recognized for the calm and professional manner in which he handled a pursuit where the violator tried to strike him with his vehicle. L/Cpl. Duncan’s cool handling of this volatile situation resulted in the suspect’s arrest without incident.
The Troop Four winner Corporal D.R. Bradshaw is an 18-year veteran of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. He consistently exceeds in assisting the community in which he lives and believes in and works wholeheartedly toward the agency’s mission to save lives. He and his team are consistent leaders in the number of DUI arrests within Troop 4. He is actively involved in his community as a Little League coach and as a mentor to youth.
The Troop Five winner L/Cpl. P.B. Bethea received devastating news in April 2006, that his baby, Lawson, had a severe and incurable medical condition. Despite this crisis in his family, his enforcement activity level has never decreased and his DUI arrests especially remain high. In 2006, he issued 1,188 citations, 664 warnings, six drug cases, 21 DUI cases, and investigated 175 collisions.
The Troop Six winner Sgt. K.B. Martin is a 20-year veteran of the Highway Patrol. Sgt. Martin was recognized for his response to a fatal hit-and-run collision on I-26 in Dorchester County. A vehicle struck a disabled vehicle. The driver fled on foot leaving his passenger fatally injured. After the search had been called off, Sgt. Martin returned four hours later when he found and subsequently arrested the suspect.
The Troop Seven winner L/Cpl. J.C. Gambrell has been with the Highway Patrol since 1999. Supervisors recognized him for his instincts that saved a suspect’s life. He was called to investigate a motorcycle collision where the suspect had fled. The search led him to a nearby barn where he discovered the badly injured suspect hiding in the loft. The critically injured man, who was later charged with DUI, was able to receive the emergency medical help he needed.
The MAIT Unit winner Cpl. J.T. Perry is a member of the Pee Dee MAIT (collision reconstruction) Team. He was recognized for his investigation of an incident involving a pedestrian and an unknown vehicle. Cpl. Perry’s diligence in gathering strong evidence and working to release that to the media led to the quick arrest of the suspect.
The Headquarters’ winner was Cpl. P.J. Brouthers. Cpl. Brouthers became a Community Relations Officer for Troop 6 in 2003. Since then, he has built an excellent rapport with the Lowcountry media and public. Cpl. Brouthers’ work ethic, creativity and ability to build partnerships as the Community Relations Officer for Troop 6 have set an admirable example for his peers. He is well-known in many communities in the Lowcountry as the “face” of the Highway Patrol in that area.
