Marco, Florida - Police Officer Honored for his Service
naplesnews.com, By Tracy X. Miguel, Thursday, March 30, 2006
There is only so much people can do without one day getting recognized. For Marco Island Police Department Cpl. Mike Peña, that day came Wednesday.
Peña was the first of three public servants in Collier County whom an entourage surprised at work with the Distinguished Public Service Award 2006 when he was called into a meeting room. More than one dozen officers, award committee members and friends waited for Peña to walk into the room at the station.
“Wow. What a surprise. I don’t even know what I’m here for,” said Peña, nodding his head. Award committee member Charles Connolly and committee chairman Martin De St. Pierre, vice president and trust officer of Bank of America Trust Services, presented the award to Peña.
Connolly told Peña it was an honor for him, a former police commissioner from New York, to present the award to a younger police officer. Upon receiving the award, Peña said, “Everything I do here, I do it for the community.”
Peña, who lives on Marco Island, said he had no idea he was about to receive an award, yet felt honored. “He deserves it. He is very humble,” said Peña’s wife, Mabel. For the third year the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce, Naples Daily News, Bank of America, Edison College and other organizations are sponsoring the awards. The awards were developed to honor public service workers for their dedication.
The awards are given to one member of Collier County law enforcement, a fire safety employee and an emergency medical services employee who have performed an extraordinary act of service that went beyond normal expectations. About 50 nominations were submitted for the three categories by residents and those working in the professions. A total of 24 nominations were received for the law enforcement category, said Brenda Borchardt, the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce vice president of programs.
Three committees reviewed the nominations and determined the three recipients of the annual Distinguished Public Service Award 2006. One by one, each recipient will be surprised at work with the arrival of the committee to acknowledge their outstanding work.
Peña, who is an officer in charge at the Marco Island Police Department, was nominated by his supervisor, Capt. Thom Carr. Peña started his law enforcement career in 1980 in Miami. He has been working in Marco Island for more than three years.
Carr, who nominated three officers from the department, said Peña is one of the outstanding officers whom the department consistently recognizes as officer of the month for his commitment to the community. In 2005, Peña solved several major cases, including recovery of $30,000 worth of stolen appliances and locating a suspect who had been charged with sexually assaulting a child.
“As long as we keep on getting guys like him we are in good shape,” said Carr. The second recipient of the a
ward will be surprised at work Friday. When the last recipient will be surprised has not been announced.
Naples Daily News and NDN Productions. Published in Naples, Florida, USA by the E.W. Scripps Co.
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