Date Posted: Friday, January 27th, 2017

Presented by the Director of Public Information Sergeant Richard D. Bratz

Led by our Superintendent, Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr., The Delaware State Police held a ceremony which recognized both the outgoing Honorary Commanders for 2016 and welcomed the newly selected Honorary Commanders for 2017. This prestigious event occurred on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at the Delaware State Police Academy located at 1453 North DuPont Highway, Dover De. 19901. The Secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, James N. Mosley and the Superintendent of the Delaware State Police, Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr. spoke at the event and helped recognize the importance of the ceremony.

Troop 1: Captain Jennifer Griffin partnered with Mark Holodick, Ed.D.

Dr. Mark Holodick was appointed Superintendent of the Brandywine School District in October 2009. Prior to being named Superintendent, he was the Principal at Concord High School and at a blended middle and high school in the Delmar School District. He earned his Bachelor of Arts at West Virginia Wesleyan University, his Master of Education at Wilmington University, and his Doctor of Education at the University of Delaware. Since being appointed Superintendent, Dr. Holodick has been committed to the foundation of the District: professionalism, customer service, equity, and meeting the needs of all students.  He recognizes the importance of developing whole child through unique and diverse programming, after-school enrichment opportunities, athletics, arts, and a rigorous curriculum.

Troop 2: Captain Jason Sapp partnered with Pastor Tobe Witmer

Pastor Tobe Witmer will celebrate his twenty-fifth year as a pastor in 2017. He earned a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry in 2011 from Bob Jones University.  He began working with youth in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, he then moved to adult ministry in 2002 by becoming the first pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church in Newark, Delaware.  The church flourished, purchased its own property, and built a new auditorium in 2012.   The heartbeat of the church is to engage community with the good news of Jesus.  Pastor Witmer has served as the Secretary of Country Wide Prison Ministry, and is on the board of Grace Baptist Bible College.  He is a company chaplain for both Burris Logistics and Gordon Food Services in Elkton and Newark.

Troop 2 CIU: Captain Pete Sawyer partnered with Dr. Naveed Baquir

Dr. Naveed Baquir is the Executive Director of Delaware Council on Global and Muslim Affairs. Delaware Council is a community-based think tank that is committed to social justice and defending the civil rights of all. The council brings Delaware Muslims to the mainstream through political engagement, interfaith dialogues, symposiums, town hall meetings and other civic activities. Dr. Baquir holds a doctorate in information systems and operations management from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He also holds an MBA, an MS in Computer Science, and an MS in Technology Management.

Troop 3: Captain Joshua Bushweller partnered with Pastor Lamont Pierce

Pastor Lamont Pierce is the Paternity Outreach Specialist for Kent Sussex Community Services in Dover Delaware. He also currently serves as Lead Pastor at New Life Christian Outreach in Dover. Lamont has an extensive background and over 20 years of experience in outreach and has a proven track record of implementing systems and procedures which have assisted in bringing grants and government help to underserved communities. He is a graduate of Norfolk State University with a major in Electronic Technology and has also attended Restoration School of Biblical Studies in Wilmington Delaware. Originally from Plainfield, New Jersey, he moved to Delaware in 1992. From 1996 to 2010, Lamont served as Community Outreach Director at Restoration Christian Fellowship.  Lamont was led to Dover, Delaware in 2007 with his wife of 24 years and his three children to do serve people in the lower Delaware region. Lamont’s motto in life is “Don’t talk about it, be about it”. This adage has led Lamont to successfully encourage other pastors, leaders and community activists to take action and mobilize those in their realm of influence.

Troop 4: Captain Rodney Layfield partnered with Kevin Andrade

Kevin Andrade has been involved in broadcasting business since 1988, and has worked in the three largest stations in Ecuador as a producer and on-air personality. He developed an amazing career in broadcasting business, achieving number one ratings in his produced shows from 1993 to 2002. During that time he accepted an invitation to be part of the largest TV Network in Latin America HTV, traveling as a reporter and frequently working as a producer of International events. Kevin Andrade is currently the President and CEO of The Voice Radio Network, and host of his own show on Maxima 95.3 FM. This is all still just the beginning of Kevin’s ventures and goals for the future.

Troop 5: Captain Darren Short partnered with Joyce Sessoms

Joyce Sessoms, retired educator, serves as executive director of The ARK Educational Resource Center in Laurel, Delaware.  She and her husband of 24 years, founded the after school non-profit in 2013 with the vision to help reduce the dropout rate in our communities.  To date, The ARK has served over 50 students in the after-school tutoring program, and over 500 families through the community events they host, which includes parenting workshops, teen workshops for boys and girls, Back-to-School Supply Give-Away, and an annual Volunteer Recognition Banquet to show gratitude for volunteer service. She first earning an Associate Degree in Human Services from Delaware Technical & Community College in 1980.  Joyce was later honored as an inductee to the Delaware Technical & Community College Alumni Walk of Success and has a plaque bearing her name on the campus sidewalk of her alma mater. A few years later, she earned her Bachelors in Behavioral Sciences from Wilmington University.  Around the same time, she earned a Bachelors’ Degree in Biblical Studies from Logos Christian College in Jacksonville, Florida.  Mrs. Sessoms later decided to change her major to her passion, education.  After completing her Masters, she continued in the Doctoral Program at Wilmington University and is currently a doctoral candidate.

Troop 6: Captain Mike Reader partnered with Julie Miro-Wenger

Julie Miro-Wenger is the Executive Director of the Food Bank of Delaware. The Delaware Food Industry Council (DFIC) is a non-profit Delaware corporation and the only statewide organization dedicated solely to the interests of the food industry. The mission is to promote, enhance and represent the food industry in Delaware. The Food Bank currently represent nearly sixty supermarkets and 9,000 employees. Our members are comprised of large and small food retailers, convenience stores, food manufacturers, suppliers and related service providers.

Troop 7: Captain Alice Brumbley partnered with Charlotte King

Charlotte King is a native New Yorker, but spent the majority of her professional life in Annapolis, Maryland and Washington D.C. before retiring to Lewes, Delaware in 2000.

After earning a master’s degree in Social Work at Fordham University, New York City, Charlotte dedicated her professional career to working on improving the quality of life for children and their families.  Throughout her professional life, she also maintained a private clinical practice, providing mental health therapy to children, families and couples. Despite this heavy work schedule, Charlotte found time to provide volunteer services to individuals, organizations and churches.  Charlotte worked in both the private and public social services sectors, working at every level, from direct service to families and children to policy and program development during her years as an administrator at local and state levels.

Troop 9: Captain Daniel Hall partnered with Mayor Rudolph Sutton

Mayor Sutton was born July 31,1976 in Wilmington Delaware. Within a few years his parents moved his family of six to New Castle, DE in search of a better life in the suburbs. He grew up in the Colonial School District through grade school. He attended Delcastle Technical High School and studied the trade of Carpentry and graduated in 1994. After graduating he worked a job at A&F Machine & Development in which He also attended Hodgson Vo-tech School at night to learn the trade of machine shop.

In 1998 he enrolled into the carpentry apprenticeship program after realizing that carpentry was always a passion and had to pursue the trade. In 1999 he received a position with Disabatino Construction Co as a 2^nd class carpenter because of his knowledge and prior schooling. He worked my way to a lead carpenter position within the company. In 1999 he married his high school sweet heart with whom he now has two sons and a daughter. He and his family moved to Townsend, Delaware in 2006 for the small town feel and the great school district. After growing interest in the Town he ran for council and won in the 2013 local election. In 2016 council appointed him as the Mayor of Townsend.

Both the Delaware State Police Troop Commanders and the newly selected Honorary Commanders are looking forward to their mutually beneficial partnerships and working alongside each other throughout the state this coming year.

Our Superintendent, Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr. and the women and men of the Delaware State Police express our gratitude and thank all of the amazing and talented Honorary Commanders for their participation in this highly honored program. This well-regarded community program brings police and civic leaders together to enhance the partnership with the communities we serve.

Congratulations on your selections and thank you for your commitment to serve others.

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Released: 012717 1401

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*Original Release*

Presented by the Director of Public Information Sergeant Richard D. Bratz

After a successful introductory year in 2016, the Delaware State Police Honorary Commander Program begins this year with a new selection of community leaders. The Troop Commanders and the Community Outreach Unit worked together to select the 2017 Honorary Commanders.

The Honorary Commander Program partners Delaware State Police Commanders with key business, political and community leaders ideally within the Commander’s troop area in order to foster a mutually beneficial partnership. The program encourages the exchange of ideas, different experiences and an understanding of each other’s role in the community. The program offers members of the community a chance to experience and better understand aspects of law enforcement. This partnership enhances the mutual benefit of building and strengthening the bond between the Division and the communities we serve. It also aims to increase the Division’s involvement in civic endeavors and organizations while integrating members of the local community into the Delaware State Police family.

Each Delaware State Police Commander will be paired with a member of the Troop community as their Honorary Commander for a term of one year. During their tenure the Honorary Commander will be invited to attend such Divisional ceremonial events as Academy graduations, promotional and award ceremonies, and memorial services. Additionally, they will also be exposed to the Division’s operational mission through ride-alongs, training exercises, and special unit familiarization.

 There will be an Induction Ceremony for the 2017 Honorary Commanders and a Commencement Ceremony for the 2016 Honorary Commanders on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. at the DSP Academy located at 1453 North DuPont Highway, Dover, Delaware 19901. This ceremony is the first formal event with each partnered civilian commander.

Media is invited and encouraged to attend.

Released: 012017 2231

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