PELS Graduate Leadership Award

Porcher L. Taylor, a long-time faculty member with the PELS Program and Associate Professor with the School of Continuing & Professional Studies at the University of Richmond, established the PELS Graduate Leadership Award.  The purpose of this award is to recognize one member of each PELS class who has demonstrated outstanding leadership abilities throughout the PELS program.

Each PELS session votes by closed ballot for one of their classmates to receive this award.  The criteria for this award is that the individual chosen has demonstrated a personal commitment to expand their own leadership abilities; exhibited a sincere desire to learn and improve their self; best represented their organization & profession; and demonstrated a sincere desire to support & encourage others in the class.  The winner of the award is unknown until the graduation ceremony, where the person chosen by their peers is presented with a plaque.  In addition, the recipient’s name, organization, and PELS session number appears on a plaque on display at the administrative headquarters of the VACP.

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PELS Graduate Leadership Award Recipient's

Captain Richard G. Edwards
Richmond Police Department
PELS Session 51

Major Mark F. Heckler
Chesapeake Police Department
PELS Session 50

Captain Kimberly Mooney
Richmond Police Department
PELS Session 49

Lieutenant Michelle Rhone
Hampton Police Division
PELS Session 49

Lieutenant Edward M. Pierpont
Chesterfield County Police Department
PELS Session 48

Sergeant John T. LeClaire
James City County Police Department
PELS Session 48

Lieutenant Pelham L. Felder
Hampton Police Division
PELS Session 47

Lieutenant Eric C. Hires
Newport News Police Department
PELS Session 46

Charles M. Thomas
Norfolk Police Department
PELS Session 45

David L. Hill
Loudoun County Sheriff's Office
PELS Session 44

Terrence L. Sullivan, Jr.
Hanover County Sheriff's Office
PELS Session 43

Harry I. McBrien
Virginia Beach Police Department
PELS Session 42

Wayne W. Sager
Strasburg Police Department
PELS Session 41

James E. DeFord, Sr.
Virginia State Police
PELS Session 40

David Brian Cummings
Richmond Police Department
PELS Session 39

John P. Naylor
Fairfax Co. Police Department
PELS Session 38

Timothy N. Duncan
Suffolk Police Department
PELS Session 37

Jaime S. Sanford
Loudoun Co. Sheriff's Office
PELS Session 36

James D. Buie
Suffolk Police Department
PELS Session 35

Joseph A. Barasoain
City of Alexandria Emergency Communications Center
PELS Session 34

Benjamin D. Gonse
Virginia Beach Police Department
PELS Session 33

William M. Cox
Prince William County Police Department
PELS Session 32

Dennis M. Santos, Sr.
Virginia Beach Police Department
PELS Session 31

John E. Brooks
Suffolk Police Department
PELS Session 30

Dennis A. Hebert
Virginia Beach Police Department
PELS Session 29

Timothy A. Rudy
Prince William County Police Department
PELS Session 28

William C. Smith
Richmond Police Department
PELS Session 27

Andrew J. Mitchell
Norfolk Police Department
PELS Session 25

Stephan M. Hudson
Prince William County Police Department
PELS Session 24

Joseph P. Baron
Norfolk Police Department
PELS Session 23

A. Thomas Leary, III
Henrico County Division of Police
PELS Session 22

Jeffrey C. Davis
Hampton Police Division
PELS Session 21