CAPE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT REWARDS EXCELLENCE

Former Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Norman Copeland, right, presented the Copeland Excellence Awards to Travis Sikes, left, Latasha Tidwell and Verlan Graham.

JACKSON -- Sgt. Richie Walker was visibly moved as he was presented with the Timothy J. Ruopp Award for outstanding work at the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department Wednesday.

Walker was named the outstanding law enforcement officer for 1999 by Sheriff John Jordan during a ceremony. He has worked with the department since 1993 in the jail and patrol divisions and was promoted to the rank of sergeant last month.

"It's a real honor," Walker said. "I would say it means more here because Mr. Ruopp had worked here. I didn't work with him personally, but it's still very significant because he was killed in the line of duty."

Walker was presented the award by Mark Ruopp, whose brother, Tim, was a former Cape Girardeau County deputy who was killed in the line of duty 15 months after joining the San Diego Police Department in 1984.

Tim Ruopp loved his job and always sought ways to improve his performance, his brother said. He moved to San Diego to be closer to relatives "and because he just loved it out there."

Mark Ruopp said, "When we went to my brother's funeral, the people out there really showed the support that they gave the police. We just wanted to show the same support for the officers here."

The award is presented annually by the sheriff and members of the Ruopp family. Recipients are selected by heads of each division based on their job performance.

"It shows their dedication, and also the confidence their bosses have in them," Mark Ruopp said. "It means a lot to us as law-abiding citizens and to me as a parent to raise our children in Cape Girardeau County."

Jordan said Walker daily displays his pride in his work, whether he is continuing training as a member of the bloodhound team, working at a crime scene or completing regular patrols.

"He is very professional in the way he carries himself," said Jordan. "He has a lot of nicknames, including Eagle Eye, just because he is always watching for things going on."

Jordan and former sheriff Norman Copeland also handed out the Copeland Excellence awards. This is the fifth year for the awards.

Employees from the three divisions are honored for striving for excellence in their job duties.

The winner from the field operations division was Travis Sikes, an investigator in the detective division who has worked at the sheriff's department since December, 1994.

The winner from the business operations division was Latasha Tidwell, a 911 communications officer who has been with the sheriff's department since August, 1998.

The recipient from the jail operations department was Verlan Graham, a corrections officer in the jail division who has been with the sheriff's department since December 1997.