On Wednesday, July 31, the Hendersonville Police Department hosted their 2024 Awards and Promotional Ceremony to recognize the achievements of Officers and Staff. Chief Blair Myhand was joined by Command Staff members to present training certificates, awards, and promotions to a deserving group of honorees.
Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate – Matt Capps
To be eligible for an Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate an officer must accumulate the required combination of training, degrees and experience outlined by the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission. Lieutenant Capps was recognized for obtaining this advanced level of certification.
Police Achievement – Landon McCraw
A Police Achievement Medal is awarded to an employee who displays credible public service in a single operation, incident, or investigation above normal requirements and performed in a manner that contributes to the achievement of department goals.
Officer McCraw investigated a breaking and entering of a storage unit for the daughter of a recently deceased man. After reviewing the video, Landon identified the license plates of two suspect vehicles. He interviewed the registered owners of both vehicles and obtained confessions of the crimes. Officer McCraw was able to recover a considerable amount of stolen property totaling thousands of dollars. Officer McCraw went far above and beyond investigating this crime. The rightful owners are undoubtably grateful for his determination in locating and arresting the suspects.
Police Commendation – Andrew Gunnin, Haley Thompson, Marianna Tinoco
A Police Commendation Ribbon is awarded to an employee who displays highly credible public service in a single operation, incident, or investigation substantially above normal requirements and performed in an exemplary manner which contributes significantly to the achievement of department goals.
Officer Gunnin was recognized for his determination and diligence in assisting a Police Recruit during the last BLET program. Andrew volunteered much of his own time helping the recruit, for whom English is their second language, study while attending class. Andrew accomplished this task while remaining one of the most productive officers in the department. Andrew’s selfless service and his dedication to his role as a police officer reflect the mission of the department. He deserves this award for spending so much of his personal time helping someone else succeed.
Officer Thompson responded when callers informed the police that a young child was walking alone on the Oklawaha Trail. Shortly after Haley arrived, the child jumped into the creek trying to get away from her. Officer Thompson engaged the child and tried to convince him to get out of the creek. With temperatures below 60 degrees, and water temperatures even colder, Officer Thompson became concerned for the child. After several unsuccessful attempts to get the child to follow instructions, Officer Thompson jumped into the creek to remove the child from the cold water. She determined that the child was autistic and two miles from home. Her swift actions prevented the child from becoming hypothermic. She was able to return him home before he had even been reported missing.
Officer Tinoco earned this award because of her overall work performance. She is a dedicated member of the department who works hard to lead by example. For several months, Marianna has made more felony, misdemeanor, and DWI arrests than any other officer. Besides her productivity on patrol, Marianna volunteers for several department committees like the uniform committee, the recruitment committee, and special event planning committee. She also commits her time to National Night Out and she constantly engages the community by interacting with children. Over the past two years, Marianna has proven herself a vital part of the department. She works to improve herself every day. Her continuous record of being one of the most productive officers in the department reflects her drive and passion for police work.
Meritorious Service - Alexis Barker, Kristen Narron
Animal Services Officer Alexis Barker has made significant contributions to the department. She consistently demonstrates commitment and dedication to excellence in her role. Her positive attitude and problem-solving approach are evident in her daily performance. Despite being involved in challenging situations that often involve verbal abuse, she maintains calmness, composure, and professionalism. Alexis has been instrumental in writing standard operating procedures to support officers when responding to calls for service involving animals. She is passionate about helping animals and educating their owners. Alexis has been instrumental in the department’s response to an outbreak of distemper and rabies in the county. She ensures that the department adheres to the county health department recommendations protecting her co-workers and mitigating additional infections of these viruses. Alexis’ overall dedication, professionalism, and compassion underscore her invaluable contribution to the department and the community. Her efforts positively impact her co-workers, citizens, and the animals she serves.
Parking Services Supervisor, Kristen Narron, was recognized for always going above and beyond the call of duty. She is wholly committed to the City of Hendersonville and is often volunteering her time for various department and community events. In her full-time job, Kristen has been instrumental in making the transition to paid parking a success. She addresses citizen concerns daily and expertly deals with angry citizens. Arguably, Kristen deals with more angry people than any other department employee. She does so with poise and expertise. She spends numerous hours helping the agency plan special events. She recently recommended and now chairs the special events planning committee for the department, pulling together other volunteers to ensure the agency is well prepared when these events occur. She wants to ensure that people have a good time at our events and that the agency always puts its best foot forward. Kristen has been solely responsible for ordering items for the Apple Festival, National Night Out, and other events. She gives her time without the expectation of reward.
Lifesaving Commendations - Lance LeDoux, Brandon Haman, Eric LaRowe
Officers LeDoux and Haman prevented a man intending to commit suicide from jumping from an elevated surface. The officers engaged the person in dialog trying to establish trust. Despite numerous threats to jump, the officer persuaded the person to step back from the edge of the structure. Once on safe footing, the officers intervened and prevented the person from harming himself and potentially ending his life.
Eric LaRowe was working off-duty at a local church. While working this assignment, a church member approached Eric signaling that he was choking and could not breathe. Eric immediately reacted and performed the Heimlich maneuver, trying to clear the object that was preventing the person from breathing. After several attempts, Detective LaRowe was able to dislodge the obstruction and restore breathing to the individual. Once the obstruction was removed, Eric immediately called EMS to ensure no other obstructions existed. Because of Eric’s training and decisive action, he prevented a life-threatening situation from resulting in a person’s death. There is no doubt that without his efforts, the person would have almost certainly died.
Promotions
Haley Thompson and Colby Torbett – Investigator
Sam Capps – Sergeant
Sam Capps was sworn in as a police officer for the Hendersonville Police Department in December 2019 after completing Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET). Sergeant Capps has over 500 hours of training including classes such as Police Law Institute, Field Training Officer, Drug Interdiction Techniques, and basic SWAT operator. He is a member of the Henderson County SWAT Team.
Zeff Childress – Sergeant
Zeffrey Childress has been a sworn law enforcement officer with the Hendersonville Police Department since June 2014 after receiving his BLET certificate in late 2013. In August 2020, he was assigned as a Detective to the Criminal Investigations Bureau. Zeff holds an Advanced Lw Enforcement Certificate. He is a specialized instructor for firearms and rapid deployment. Sergeant Childress has a Bachelor of Art Degree from UNC Asheville. He is a member of the HPD Motor Team and is a Field Training Officer.
Jacob Smith – Sergeant
Jacob completed his associate degree in criminal justice from Blue Ridge Community College in December 2020. He began working as a police officer for the Hendersonville Police Department in January 2021. In October 2022 he was reassigned to the newly formed traffic safety team. Since then, Jacob has been certified as a traffic crash reconstructionist and completed the North Carolina Justice Academy Traffic Crash Certificate program. Sergeant Smith is a recent addition to the multi-agency Henderson County SWAT Team.
Jon Wing – Lieutenant
Lieutenant Wing earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 2011. He started his law enforcement career with the Hendersonville Police Department in 2013. Throughout his time here, Jon has held various roles including K9 Handler, Field Training Officer, RAD Instructor, and Background Investigator. Lieutenant Wing has earned the following awards: Rookie of the Year, Officer of the Year Award, the Morris Kaplan Award, and two Life Saving Awards. In 2019, he was promoted to Sergeant of Team 3. During his time as Sergeant, he earned his Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate and completed the Western North Carolina Law Enforcement Leadership Academy. Since January 2024, Lieutenant Wing has been serving as Acting Lieutenant on Team 1.
Trae Laws – Captain
Trae Laws graduated from Western Carolina University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2004. After college he went on to complete BLET from Western Piedmont Community College in 2005. He was hired by the Hendersonville Police Department as a police officer in 2006. In his time here, he has served in several capacities including patrol, investigations, and vice-narcotics. He served with the Henderson County SWAT team for 10 years, 6 years with the Henderson County Narcotics Task Force, and 6 years as the Homeland Security Investigations Task Force Officer. Trae was promoted to Sergeant in 2019 and to Lieutenant in 2020. His notable training accomplishments include FBI LEEDA Trilogy award, WNC Law Enforcement Leadership Academy, and the 96th Session of the Administrative Officers Management Program. He is slated to attend the 293rd session of the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA., in January 2025.
Following the promotional oaths, Chief Blair Myhand led all sworn and retired officers in the Law Enforcement Officer and Chaplain Eric Gash provided the benediction.
