Awards
The Association has several awards available to their members: Peace Officer of the Year, Detention Officer of the Year, Dispatcher of the Year, Valor and Meritorious Service. Winners of the Peace Officer of the Year, Detention Officer of the Year and Dispatcher of the Year all receive a Glock handgun and a trip to Washington D.C. for Police Week. The awards are presented at the WPOA Annual Membership and Training Conference Banquet.
General Award Requirements:
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- Must be a certified peace officer, detention officer, communications operator in the State of Wyoming, or a recently retired certified officer or communications operator;
- must be an employee whose character is above reproach;
- must be an employee who is competent, knowledgeable, and capable;
- must be an employee who promotes law enforcement;
- must be an employee who shows professionalism; and,
- need not to be a member of the Wyoming Peace Officer Association.
Peace Officer of the Year Requirements:
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- Must be an officer who performs an act of outstanding service which brings credit to his department, community and himself;
- must be an officer who designs and implements a program which has major impact on law enforcement in the State of Wyoming;
- must be an officer who designs and implements a program which has major impact on law enforcement within his agency;
- must be an officer who is active in and promotes community programs;
- consideration should be given to outstanding years of service to law enforcement in the State of Wyoming; and,
- consideration should be given to an officer who has provided progressive leadership of a law enforcement unit.
Detention Officer of the Year Requirements:
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- Must be an officer who performs an act of outstanding service which brings credit to his department, community and himself;
- must be an officer who designs and implements a program which has major impact on law enforcement in the State of Wyoming;
- must be an officer who designs and implements a program which has major impact on law enforcement within his agency;
- must be an officer who is active in and promotes community programs;
- consideration should be given to outstanding years of service to law enforcement in the State of Wyoming;
- consideration should be given to an officer who has provided progressive leadership of a law enforcement unit.
Dispatcher of the Year Requirements:
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- Must be an employee who performs an act of outstanding service which brings credit to their department, community and himself;
- must be an employee who designs and implements a program which has major impact on law enforcement in the State of Wyoming;
- must be an employee who designs and implements a program which has major impact on law enforcement within his agency;
- must be an employee who is active in and promotes community programs;
- consideration should be given to outstanding years of service to in the State of Wyoming; and,
- consideration should be given to an employee who has provided progressive leadership of a communications unit.
Valor Award Requirements:
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- must be an officer who saves or attempts to save a person’s life without regard to his own personal safety; and,
- must be an officer who performs an act of heroism beyond the call of duty.
Meritorious Service Award Requirements:
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- Any outstanding service that an individual may have performed for his state, country, community or department.
Outstanding Contributor to Law Enforcement Award Requirements:
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- Any citizen who contributes generously of his time and/or donations to assist any law enforcement agency in the State of Wyoming.
PAST WINNERS:
Peace Officer of the Year
1961 – C. A. McDougall
1966 – Morris C. Horton
1967 – Frank Slagle
1968 – E.E. Peters
1970 – Darrell Ketchum
1971 – Duel Price
1972 – Jim Johnston
1973 – Boyd Hall
1974 – C. W. Ogburn
1975 – Bob Warne
1976 – Jack Matheny
1977 – Pete Muchmore
1978 – Ernie Johnson
1979 – Margie M. Meacham
1980 – D.B. “Spike” Hladky
1981 – Bill Brewer
1982 – Delaine Roberts
1983 – Fred Van Horn
1984 – Steve Smith
1985 – Robert A. Van Alyne
1986 – Stan Warne
1987 – Robert Coorough
1988 – Paul Breed
1989 – Tom Pagel
1990 – Deloyd Quarberg
1991 – Kevin Hughes
1992 – Dan Dyer
1993 – Peggy Parker
1994 – Jeff Pfau
1995 – John B. Harrison
1996 – Mark (Mont) Meacham
1997 – William Miller
1998 – Kim Clark
1999 – Scott Hughes
2000 – Delaine Baldwin
2001 – Steve Miller
2002 – Byron Oedekoven
2003 – Juel R. Leuis
2004 – James “Mike” Reed
2005 – John Fanning
2006 – Lin Bashford
2007 – Mike Picerno
2008 – Bill Braddock
2009 – John (J Dee) Darnell
2010 – Tim Hill
2011 – Mitchell Cushman
2012 – Brady Patrick
2014 – William Pownall
Dispatcher of the Year
1968 – Mary McKenzie
1969 – Norman Bear
1970 – Patricia Hall
1971 – Helen Porter
1972 – Phyllis Fritzler
1973 – Ethel Harding
1974 – Vicki Burke
1975 – Marian Nelson
1976 – Maryi Loy Bernard
1977 – Jaylyn Jackson
1978 – Elva Sutter
1979 – Sue Popham
1980 – Linda Selby
1981 – Evelyn Thompson
1982 – Margaret Carringer
1983 – Sybil P. Goodman
1984 – Pat Carriveau
1985 – Rynta Hohn
1986 – Nora Jo Taggart
1987 – Babara Mitteis
1988 – George Wales
1989 – Kathleen Carino
1990 – Carl Freeman
1991 – Sylvia Carns
1992 – Gay Robertson
1993 – Gary Plumb
1994 – Judy McCaselon & Mike Hamilton
1995 – Pearl Weber & Lorran Hernandez
1997 – Mike Connors
1999 – Windi Knudtson
2000 – Joyce Gallant
2001 – Kim McLees
2002 – Joey Williams
2003 – Melody Morse
2004 – Denice Gifford
2006 – Diana Mikolic
2007 – Kelli Burns
2008 – Kristi Frost
2009 – Tracy Chandler
2010 – Tasha Urbatsch
2011 – Breda Vonsik
2012 – Trudi Ann Ost
2013 – Alex Keely
2014 – Cheryl Johnson
2015 – Tracey Schlimm
Coroner of the Year
2008 – Ed McAuslan
2009 – Mark Stratmoen
2010 – Connie Jacobson
Detention Officer of the Year
1998 – Rodney Birkle
2002 – Nan Snyder
2004 – Leroy Snyder
2005 – Kathleen Mosbrucker
2006 – Eric Kent
2007 – Sarah Trehearne
2008 – Debbie Sue Cook
2010 – Julie Faber
2015 – Sarah Jeffers
