The PBA has long held the reputation for educating the public about the daily work of law enforcement officers and the sacrifices they make to keep their communities safe. Through these education efforts many relationships with the community have led to partnerships that have benefited members of the PBA. The PBA also has an extensive history for creating solid and sustainable relationships with elected officials to effect positive change for their members.

The Cary chapter continues to take this process of education, partnerships, and relationship building to a new level. Every year the Cary Chapter brings together elected officials, officers, and the community to showcase the talents of police officers and honor the legacy of retired Detective George Almond.

The Cary Chapter Board, in their first year chose to sponsor an Officer of the Year award in honor of retired Detective George Almond. Almond, a PBA member was shot in the line of duty in October of 2001. He survived the shooting and returned to duty as a detective in juvenile investigations before retiring in August of 2004. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in the areas of leadership, community service, mentoring, excellence in performance, and valor.

The 5th annual awards banquet will be held at the Embassy Suites in Cary on February 26, 2011. The doors to the event open at 5:00 p.m. Lt. Colonel Van Ritch (retired) will be the keynote speaker for the banquet. During his twenty two year military career, Ritch served in the United States Army’s elite Special Forces and distinguished himself as a highly-respected leader of Special Operations Intelligence. Since his retirement from the military, Ritch has served in several capacities to include training senior-level law enforcement officers in leadership principles and detectives in investigative techniques as a coordinator/instructor with the North Carolina Justice Academy. Ritch is also the author of two authoritative books for law enforcement personnel.

Gerald Owens a WRAL-TV and Fox-50 anchor and the host of NC Wanted will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. George Almond will present the awards to the finalists including the final winner. As part of the festivities a live auction will be conducted by Ben Farrell to raise funds for the Police Benevolent Foundation. Ben is a full time law enforcement officer with the Morrisville Police Department and is also a professional auctioneer.

According to Cary Chapter and North Carolina Division President Randy Byrd, “The Cary chapter has been very committed to this project since its inception. This annual event has been a phenomenal success and speaks volumes to the respect that George Almond has with fellow officers and the community he once served. In creating this award we wanted to ensure that George’s sacrifice for the citizen’s of the Town of Cary is never forgotten, while at the same time recognizing exemplary performance by those following in his footsteps.”

For more information about tickets to the event or participating as a host or sponsor you may contact Randy Byrd at 1-800-233-3506 ext. 311 or by email at rbyrd@sspba.org. You may also download a brochure and an order form by clicking here.