Kissimmee Police recognizes its best

The Kissimmee Police Department presented its annual awards to personnel who have shown outstanding service and dedication at a ceremony at Kissimmee Civic Center on Feb. 7.

While the event featured dinner and remarks by KPD Chief Betty Holland, the highlight was the presentation of honors to those in the ranks who showed what it means to be a Kissimmee Police officer in the last year.

Here are the awardees, with some of the highlights of their actions or their daily service:

Staff Officer of the Year: Communications Manager Mariam Habibzadegan: Her contributions are often “behind the scenes” . . . “Even when she is off duty, she never hesitates to take a phone call/text message or respond to email to ensure a smooth-running operation at all times . . . Other agencies take note of this as well and seek her assistance in sitting on their promotional boards and frequently ask for her advice and counsel for issues affecting their workplace.”

Tele-communicator of the Year: Rikardo Georges: “Rikardo’s recent certification in the communications center’s quality control team further highlights his commitment to excellence. As a trainer, he not only excels in his role but also contributes significantly to the growth and success of the department. His exemplary work ethic, coupled with is recent achievement, and positive impact in the communication center, makes Rikardo an ideal candidate.

Administrative Assistant/ Clerk of the Year: Records Clerk Vanessa Nunez: “Administrative staff have heavily relied on Vanessa Nunez, who stepped up to handle the supervisor role. Vanessa was key in keeping all daily responsibilities on task while maintaining her own work load. By August, the unit was down two additional positions, but Vanessa kept everyone on task . . . The effort Vanessa put in while the Records Unit was down several positions, and helping maintain a professional and efficient unit, her dedication did not go unrecognized.”

Support Person of the Year: Crime Scene Technician Isabella Bellomo: Her role became of “informal leader” while her supervisor was out on medical leave . . . “Isabella voluntarily took on this responsibility and served as a trainer for two other crime scene technicians who were in the middle of their training program; she also worked as lead technician on four of the seven homicides (KPD) had during 2023. During these times, she did not hesitate or waiver in her ability to perform at the highest level.”

Community Service Officer of the Year: Officer Jack Flanary: Flanary manages the Neighborhood Watch program, and his orchestrations of the annual National Night Out event, “Consistently leave a lasting impression.” He was noted for above-and-beyond actions during youth bicycle giveaway and Thanksgiving meal service, allowing those to go off without a hitch. “His commendable attributes as a true team player, always the first to extend assistance to fellow colleagues, and his consistent willingness to volunteer for specialized assignments exemplify his exceptional character.”

Sergeant of the Year: Brian Clyde: “Clyde often takes time during roll calls to debrief on critical incidents, locally and from other agencies. During these times, he encourages open discussions, which are usually very informative and come with great insight from his experiences. Sergeant Clyde’s hard work, work ethic, passion of teaching others and positive attitude make him a tremendous asset to the Patrol Division and the Kissimmee Police Department.”

Corporal of the Year: Brandon Illgen: The Criminal Investigations Division member has been “both a leader and a mentor to his peers,” and conducts weekly training segments with his unit to increase productivity and education. “In addition to his daily work duties, Corporal Illgen is a veteran member of our SWAT team and helps implement various firearm training classes with the training unit.”

Detective of the Year: Mark Morris: In March 2023, he responded to a local hospital after a four-year-old arrived with a gunshot wound. Morris immediately took lead, investigated and ultimately made an arrest. “Morris is unmatched in the dedication and dependability he puts into his investigations … Detective Morris takes a leading role without hesitation because of the investment he makes into challenging cases.”

Officer of the Year: Officer Milagros Sanchez: Noting for constantly going above and beyond her regular call of duty. “Sanchez does not hesitate to help her fellow officers and has recently become a Field Training Officer. By staying up to date on things such as case law and department policies, Officer Sanchez has taken this assignment very seriously and is helping mold the future of this agency.”

Employee of the Year: Detective Cyle Smallwood: He has been with the Criminal Investigations Division since 2020. “In March of 2023, Detective Smallwood came back early from a vacation to be the lead investigator on a homicide. During the course of the investigation, Detective Smallwood was able to get a suspect identification using his investigative skills, leading to an arrest warrant being issued. Detective Smallwood has established himself as a vital piece in the Major Crimes Unit and Criminal Investigations Division.”