TVA Police Honor Officers at Annual Awards Ceremony

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Jun 18, 2010, 03:17 ET

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., June 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A veteran Tennessee Valley Authority police officer was named Officer of the Year for 2009 by the TVA Police for his involvement in a pair of water rescues.

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Officer John P. Rickett received the honor at the TVA Police annual awards ceremony in Knoxville.

Rickett also received the Gallantry Star Award, along with Officer Charles H. Raper, for rescuing five small children and two adults stranded in stormy weather on a pontoon boat near Hiwassee Dam. The officers risked capsizing their own boat in the dangerous waters.

Rickett was involved in a second rescue near Fort Loudoun Dam when he used his boat to transport a person who was injured in a fall down a steep embankment and could not be treated on land. Another TVA Police officer, Ed Byron, received the Meritorious Award for his work with Rickett during the rescue.

"Officer Rickett consistently represents the TVA Police in a professional manner, always going the extra mile during patrol and on investigations," his supervisor, Lt. Keith Mills, said.

Rickett has been with TVA Police for almost 11 years and has spent more than eight years as a marine patrol officer.

Other awards included three officers receiving a Life-saving Award for coming to the aid of a fellow employee and Unit Citations to two police sectors, Guntersville and Middle Tennessee, which went above and beyond the normal call of duty. This included TVA Police officers' response to a tornado that struck Middle Tennessee in April 2009.

TVA Police also recognized all of the 2009 Officers of the Quarter as well as 10 officers who will be receiving written commendations in the mail.

"All of the honorees represent the excellent service our officers provide every day to employees and the public," David Jolley, vice president and director of TVA Police and Physical Security, said.

A Director's Award was presented to Nancy Mitchell with TVA Valley Relations for her efforts in working with Kentucky legislators on behalf of TVA Police last year. Amy Brown, TVA Environmental Program Administrator, will receive a written commendation for her assistance to the department.

The Tennessee Valley Authority, a corporation owned by the U.S. government, provides electricity for 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states at prices below the national average. TVA, which receives no taxpayer money and makes no profits, also provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists utilities and state and local governments with economic development.

Photo available: A high-resolution photo accompanying this story is available on the TVA website at http://www.tva.com/news/releases/aprjun10/tvap.html.

Caption: Officer John P. Rickett (left) receives the Officer of the Year Award from David Jolley, vice president and director of TVA Police and Physical Security.

SOURCE Tennessee Valley Authority