Two Cape County Sheriff's officers receive CIT awards

Two officers with the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Office received awards from state and regional Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Councils.

Sgt. Ed Curtis was named officer of the year by the Missouri CIT Council, and deputy Arman Clark was named co-officer of the year by the Southeast Missouri CIT Council.

"It's a very proud moment for the sheriff's office and for me as the sheriff," Cape Girardeau County sheriff Ruth Ann Dickerson said. "When you send officers to training and they take that training, they bring it back and they're able to implement it like these officers have here in our office, it's a very proud moment for all of us."

According to Dickerson, Curtis -- who has been employed by the sheriff's office since Oct. 9, 2002 -- was the first officer from the sheriff's department to attend CIT training.

"He became very involved in it. He sits on the CIT Council representing us on that council, and has been very active in bringing the information to our office to our officers," Dickerson said. "Bringing it back to our area to the law enforcement academy, where they also offer the CIT training. He's been very instrumental for our office in bringing the CIT training to us."

Dickerson praised Clark -- who has been with the sheriff's office since Dec. 19, 2017 -- for his positivity.

"He takes everything with a big heart. He has such a big heart," Dickerson said. "Again, he's an officer that has taken the training, he's implemented into his daily routine when he responds to incidents, and he just has really, really shown that he took the training and understands exactly what it's all about."

The Missouri CIT Council is a network of representatives from each established local council accross Missouri. For more information visit www.MissouriCIT.org.