On April 25, Police Chief Broadway and staff presented awards and citations to several Police Officers and civilians for their exemplary efforts during the calendar year of 2022.
Police Chief Broadway proudly described the reasons why the following people were recognized and are so valuable to the community.
Medal of Valor – Officer Uziel Dubi
On August 5, 2022, Clermont Fire Department and Lake County Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the 1400 block of West Highway 50 for a medical call. While FD and EMS personnel were assessing the subject, he became agitated and pointed a firearm at them. FD and EMS personnel evacuated the area and the subject shot the firearm at them.
When they called for help, Detective Uziel Dubi responded to the scene with other police personnel. When Detective Dubi and another officer gave the subject verbal commands to drop the firearm, he fired more shots. Detective Dubi returned fire, striking the subject, causing him to stop shooting and ending the deadly threat.
By bravely confronting an armed subject at risk of his own serious injury or death, Detective Uziel Dubi potentially saved the lives of several first responders and innocent bystanders. Detective Dubi has undoubtedly earned the Clermont Police Department Medal of Valor.
Supervisor of the Year Award – Sergeant Mark Marshall
Sergeant Marshall began 2022 looking for ways to improve the Training Division after he had just taken over the division at the end of 2021.
Sergeant Marshall was able to bring in and host 23 different classes on various topics. This was a massive improvement with nearly a 200% increase in the number of classes hosted by the agency during 2022, thus increasing the number of opportunities for officers to attend training classes. In addition, before the end of 2022, Sergeant Marshall had already secured 25 training classes the CPD will be hosting throughout 2023.
He recommended that the Phase 0 training be increased to six weeks instead of four weeks which added a lot more time with scenario training, firearms, defensive tactics, and de-escalation.
Sgt. Marshall assumed tactical command on a call for a suicidal subject who had a gun. Sgt. Marshall constantly reviewed the current status of the call and made adjustments as needed to make sure everyone was safe. He simultaneously prepared a plan of action to bring the event to a safe end for everyone. At the conclusion of the event, the subject was taken into custody, nobody was injured and everyone went home.
He serves as a team leader for the Mid-Florida Swat Team.
He has provided training at several churches and businesses on active threat.
He is an exceptional supervisor with a great attitude who is always willing to help. He cares about those he supervises and works to help them be successful and to grow in their careers. These are only a few reasons why Sergeant Mark Marshall was named, Supervisor of the Year”.
Anthony Burgos – Officer of the Year
During this calendar year, Officer Burgos has been extremely proactive in looking for and locating dangerous narcotics, in an effort to keep Clermont Safe. Officer Burgos has made approximately thirty-five (35) drug arrests; five (5) DUI arrests and four (4) warrant arrests, all stemming from his proactivity and enforcement efforts.
Officer Burgos has shown a propensity to locate dangerous drugs such as methamphetamine and heroin, and is able to arrest those found in possession of these harmful substances.
Officer Burgos goes beyond his regular duties and has been consistently proactive in his patrol style. Along with his arrest stats, he has followed up on multiple cases, clearing them on his own to include multiple feelings to elude suspects after the fact, written warrants on suspects, and aided narcotics detectives in the execution of search warrants.
Last but not least, on April 10th, 2022 Officer Burgos observed a suspect vehicle in traffic minutes after he fled from a narcotics unit. Officer Burgos utilized heavy traffic to affect a traffic stop on the vehicle knowing it couldn’t flee anywhere. The occupant fled on foot and Officer Burgos gave chase. The occupant was later apprehended resulting in a plethora of charges including armed trafficking in multiple narcotics, possession of a firearm and ammo by a convicted felon, fleeing to elude, and a warrant for burglary.
RACHEL MAVES – CIVILIAN OF THE YEAR
CSI Supervisor Rachel Maves has been employed with the City of Clermont since February 2021 and she has made a significant impact in the overall operation and efficiency of our Property & Evidence section.
Rachel started in the unit after the position was vacant for a short time and was tasked with organizing and catching up on a backlog of issues. Rachel is extremely organized, thorough and immediately began implementing procedures to improve efficiency with property and evidence management. Her efforts included researching and proposing the purchase of a new crime scene mapping device which has helped streamline scene photography.
Rachel has effectively dealt with numerous supervisory duties including screening, interviewing and training additional CSI and created and implemented a new training program for the new CSI employees.
Although Rachel is not in an official on-call status, she has always been willing to come in on short notice to assist with processing crime scenes. She is often sought out for input by officers and detectives due to her knowledge and expertise on scenes. Rachel is a tremendous asset to the Clermont Police Department and her contributions are worthy of much praise.
Citizen of the Year Award – Justin Nichols
Chief Broadway proclaimed, “It is my great honor to stand here today and express my gratitude to an individual who has dedicated his time, resources, and energy to make South Lake County a better place for all. Justin Nichols has been a true leader, and his contributions have been invaluable.
Justin has made significant strides in our community, particularly in mentoring high school students, supporting fundraising efforts in multiple organizations, and launching various initiatives that have impacted the lives of many. He has been a selfless individual who has worked tirelessly to bring about positive change, and we are all grateful for his efforts.
He is a great partner to the Clermont Police Department, volunteering his time, and providing resources and food to many events and city functions.
Through his dedication to the Annual South Lake Chamber of Commerce Teacher Appreciation Breakfast and Taste of South Lake, Justin has been instrumental in recognizing the hard work of our teachers and the efforts of the business community to support them. His work has been a catalyst for inspiring many of us to give back to the community in our own way.
Moreover, Justin has been a crucial partner in launching the Champion Circle Youth Empowerment Program and the South Lake non-profit Think Tank. These organizations have had a tremendous impact on the lives of people in the community, providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in life.
It is no exaggeration to say that our community would not be the same without Justin’s leadership and contributions. He has helped us to build a stronger, more supportive, and more inclusive community that we can all be proud of.
So, on behalf of the entire Clermont Police Department and South Lake County community, I want to express our sincere gratitude to Justin Nichols for all he has done. We thank him for his tireless efforts, leadership, and unwavering commitment to making a difference. May we all be inspired to follow in his footsteps and continue to make South Lake County a better place for all”.
