Cocoa Police Officers, Civilians Recognized For Service ‘Above and Beyond’
By Space Coast Daily // May 27, 2016
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – Chief Mike Cantaloupe recognized department personnel for service above and beyond the call of duty during the 2015 calendar year.
Annual awards for Officer of the Year, Employee of the year, VCOP of the Year, Life Saving awards and other achievements were presented during a lunch hour ceremony at police department headquarters.
The mayor and members of council were present to extend congratulations to the award recipients and thank them for their commendable service.
Officer Dee Meisner was awarded Officer of the Year for 2015. Officer Meisner has been with the Cocoa Police Department since 2004. She has served many capacities including patrol, training and community policing.
In 2015, Officer Meisner assumed the duties of community outreach officer and successfully organized several community events.
Among the most noteworthy was the annual Christmas Toy Drive and the Shop with a Cop event. Officer Meisner worked day and night to get the toy drive completed and was challenged due to the fact that normal resources from years past were no longer available.
With limited resources and new challenges not faced in previous years, Officer Meisner worked tirelessly to make things happen. Her efforts and her leadership provided Christmas gifts to more than 400 children and their families.
Officer Meisner also works with the city’s Neighborhood Watch groups, schools, civic organizations and churches to provide crime prevention awareness and education along with community outreach. She mentors children and is always available to help those in need.
Crime Scene and Property and Evidence Technician Justin Archey was awarded Employee of the Year for 2015. He began working for the Cocoa Police Department in July 2014.
Since that time, he has proven his knowledge and efficiency in single handedly managing the property and evidence department along with the sophisticated detail that comes with responding to crime scenes.
Justin is considered an expert in his field and not only demonstrates his knowledge of criminal evidence and procedures, he readily shares it with others in order to benefit the entire agency.
In January and March of 2015 Archey not only took in hundreds of pieces of evidence, but was also called to multiple crime scene investigations. He took thousands of photographs and processed hundreds of pieces of evidence that played a significant role in helping detectives secure prosecution and solve crimes.
He does the work that would easily require two to three full-time personnel.
Archey is dedicated above and beyond the call of duty and he demonstrates this on a daily basis often coming to work early, leaving late and returning whenever he is called upon without hesitation and without complaint.
Other awards included:
• Life Saving Award: Officer Kenneth Brackin and Officer Michael Cavalieri
• Volunteer Award: Carlo “Chico” Mastropaolo (6000 hours), Daren Wiggins (500 Hours)
• VCOP Awards: Denise Farias, 1st Quarter, Charles McGrath, 2nd Quarter; Zachariah Lewis, 3rd Quarter; Barbara Krause, 4th Quarter
• VCOP of the Year: Zachariah Lewis
• Employees of the Quarter: Dalaity Henson, 1st Quarter; Justin Archey, 2nd and 3rd Quarter; Michele Williams, 4th Quarter
• Officers of the Quarter: Christopher Hattaway, 1st Quarter; Jonathan Brady, 2nd and 3rd Quarter; Matthew Rush, 4th Quarter
• Certificate of Appreciation: Brevard County Sheriff’s Deputy Gary Haas
• Civilian Service Award and Certificate of Appreciation: Mr. Tacuma Brown