Governor Perdue Recognizes 20 Georgians for Acts of Heroism and Contributions to Public Safety

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.