Officers recognized during annual awards ceremony

The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department recognized seven of its employees Wednesday during the annual Timothy J. Ruopp Award and the Copeland Excellence Awards.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan presided over the event at the Cape Girardeau County Justice Center in Jackson. The ceremony was held in recognition of National Law Enforcement Week.

The Timothy J. Ruopp Award has been presented to the outstanding officer of the year since 1984, Jordan said. Ruopp, a former officer at the sheriff's department, was killed in the line of duty while working for the San Diego Police Department in California.

Jordan, along with a member of the Ruopp family, presented the Timothy J. Ruopp Award to Cpl. James Malugen of the investigations division. In a prepared statement, Malugen said the award "means so much to me" and thanked his fellow officers and the Ruopp family.

Malugen began working for the department in 2007 as its domestic violence investigator, but was promoted in January to corporal in the investigations division. Malugen is known for his "great communication and interviewing skills," Jordan said.

Jordan, along with a member of the Copeland family, presented three Copeland Excellence Awards, which have been presented every year since 1995, Jordan said.

The awards are given to a member in each of the department's three divisions: field, business and jail operations. The awards commemorate former Cape Girardeau County Sheriff Norman Copeland, who served from 1986 to 1994.

Jordan presented the field operations award to Sgt. Zach Dillard. Dillard, who started working at the department in March 2009 in communications, transferred to the field operations division in March 2012 and was promoted to sergeant in December 2013.

Jordan presented the business operations award to court security bailiff Jason Holloway. Holloway started as a civilian jailer in 1999, but was moved to the position of 480 jailer -- meaning he can make arrests and carry a firearm -- upon his graduation from the SEMO Law Enforcement Academy in August 2000. He transferred to the court security bailiff position in 2002.

"I'm just thankful to work here and thankful for the opportunity," Holloway said. He also thanked "everybody that helped me along the way."

Jordan presented the jail operations award to Phillip Colyer, a 480 jailer at the department. Colyer, who joined the department in March 2013 as a corrections officer but was promoted this spring, is a "great asset to the sheriff's office," Jordan said.

Jordan also presented three departmental rings, which are awarded for 10 years of service with the department. The rings were awarded to Lt. Chris Hall of the patrol division and Edie Davis and Jennifer Tidwell of the business division.

Pertinent address: 216 North Missouri Street, Jackson, Mo.