Press release, Nov. 12, 2010

STATE OF GEORGIA OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

Sonny Perdue GOVERNOR

For Immediate Release Friday, November 12, 2010

Contact: Office of Communications, (404) 651-7774 Vonnie Stewart, GPSTC, (478) 993-4405

Governor Perdue Recognizes 20 Georgians for Acts of Heroism and Contributions to Public Safety
Annual public safety awards ceremony honors Georgia heroes

FORSYTH Governor Sonny Perdue today announced the recipients of the Governor's Public Safety Awards at a ceremony in Forsyth, recognizing 14 public safety professionals for acts of heroism and six for contributions to the profession. The recipients were given medallions and their names were added to the GPSA monument at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC).
"Georgia is proud to recognize our brave law enforcement officers and emergency responders for their commitment to keeping our citizens safe," said Governor Perdue. "The courage and dedication of these Georgians are on display every day, and they have earned our appreciation."
The annual GPSA program began in 1998 to recognize the outstanding accomplishments and commitment of Georgia's public safety community.
"We are honored to have the opportunity to pay tribute to Georgia's public safety professionals who risk their lives daily and sacrifice time away from their families to protect our citizens," said J. Dale Mann, GPSA committee chairman and GPSTC director.
The GPSA program recognizes public safety professionals in the following two (2) categories:
Act of Heroism Recognizes those who performed an exceptional deed which resulted in saving lives and/or protecting property.
Outstanding Contribution which Enhanced the Profession Job performance which had an overwhelming positive affect on the overall profession.

Personnel from each discipline of public safety as well as state employees with
public safety authority were eligible to receive the award. Nominations were submitted
by local governments, state agencies, associations, police departments, sheriff's offices,
correctional facilities, fire departments, 9-1-1 communications, emergency medical
services and emergency management agencies.
Recipients of the 2010 Governor's Public Safety Awards are as follows:
Heroism Recipients
Tully Yount Patrol Officer Douglasville Police Department Billy Wallace Sergeant Douglasville Police Department Brett M. Dever Deputy Douglas County Sheriff's Office Gene Rankin Corporal University of Georgia Police Department David A. Bohannon Officer University of Georgia Police Department Wayne Green Corporal Cornelia Police Department Greg Chastain Officer Cornelia Police Department Mike Flowers Captain Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services Anthony W. Helms Firefighter Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services Jeremy Joseph Dejames Engineer Cobb County Fire & Emergency
Services Scott Robertson Firefighter Gwinnett County Fire & Emergency Services Mark Bracewell Senior Trooper Georgia State Patrol Keith Canup Captain Georgia State Patrol Omar C. Sanders Officer Macon Police Department
Contribution to Profession Recipients
Billy Thurmond Emergency Services Director Dawson County Emergency Services
Christopher A. Bish Assistant Special Agent in Charge Georgia Bureau of Investigations
Dennis J. Thayer - Lieutenant Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services Bill Hitchens Commissioner Georgia Department of Public Safety David Bradley Volunteer Firefighter Forsyth County Fire Department Vernon M. Keenan Director Georgia Bureau of Investigations
For further details on each of the honorees, please visit the Georgia Public Safety
Training Center's web site at www.gpstc.org and click on the link marked Governor's
Public Safety Awards.