Cape Sheriff's Office recognizes employees, officers for Law Enforcement Memorial Week

In observance of Law Enforcement Memorial Week, the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office presented awards to four officers and employees.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson poses for a photo with Ruopp Award recipient Lt. Zach Dillard.Submitted

Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson presented the 2019 Timothy J. Ruopp Award to Lt. Zachary Dillard. The award is presented as “the Highest Tribute for Outstanding Service to His Department, Community and His Fellow Officers In The Name of Timothy J. Ruopp” and has been presented to the outstanding officer of the year since 1984 in honor of Timothy J. Ruopp, a past employee of the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office who was killed in the line of duty as a law enforcement officer in California.

Dillard began his career at the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office in March 2009 as a communications officer. He transferred to the office’s patrol division in January 2012 where he served as a patrol deputy. Dillard was promoted to sergeant of the Communications Division in March 2014, and he was promoted again to lieutenant of the Communications Division in March 2019.

The sheriff also presented Copeland Excellence Awards to employees from each of the office’s divisions — field operations, business operations and jail operations. Since 1995, the Copeland Excellence Awards have been presented in honor of former Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Norman Copeland who served Cape Girardeau County from March 1986 until his retirement in July 1994.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson poses for a photo with Copeland Excellence recipient Maranda Meyer.Submitted

The Copeland Excellence Award for field operations was awarded to Maranda Meyer, who started as a civilian corrections officer in July 2012, and was later promoted to the position of jail deputy. Meyer was transferred to court security in June 2015, and she was transferred to the patrol division in June 2016. Meyer was promoted again in August 2018 to her current role as corporal of the patrol division.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson poses for a photo with Ruopp Award recipient Lt. Zach Dillard.Submitted

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson poses for a photo with Copeland Excellance recipient Jimmy Bartels.Submitted

The Copeland Excellence Award for business operations was awarded to Jimmy Bartels, who started with the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office as a communications officer in February 1998. He was transferred to the jail division in November 1998 where he served as a jail deputy, and he was transferred to the bailiff division in July 1999. Bartels was promoted in January 2013 to his current role as sergeant of the bailiff division.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson poses for a photo with Copeland Excellance recipient Verla Carr.Submitted

The Copeland Excellence Award for jail operations was awarded to Verla Carr who started with the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Office in June 2017 as a civilian corrections officer. She was promoted to her current role as corporal of the jail division in December 2018.