Police foundation hands out awards to city, county officers

Numerous Charlottesville and Albemarle police officers were recognized Friday by the Charlottesville Police Department Foundation for their work.

Four officers received Class Act Awards for their work on two high-profile cases — one involving a serial rapist and the other the November murder of Jayne McGowan.

Detective Mark Fields and Ron Morgenegg, a forensic specialist, worked on both cases. Detective Sgt. Ralph Barfield, now retired, worked on the serial rapist case. Diana Hueschen, a forensic specialist, worked on the McGowan case.

The serial rapist, Nathan Antonio Washington, 41, kept police at bay for the better part of a decade before he was arrested in August 2007. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four life terms plus 20 years.

McGowan was shot and killed in her city home in November.

William Douglas Gentry, 22, and Michael Pritchett, 19, face capital murder charges in the case.

Other award winners included:

— Officers Chris Hockman and Shawn Marshall for helping a person escape a burning house.

— Fields and forensic specialists Jeremy Carper and Caesar Perkins for work on a homicide investigation.

— Corey Culbreath, school resource officer, for helping students escape a school bus fire.

— Sgt. Rodean Shaner and officers Chris Hockman and Jeremy Carper for arresting a man suspected of sexually assaulting a University of Virginia student.

— Shaner, Hockman and Sgt. Shawn Bayles and officers Todd McNerney, Jon Friedvald, Greg Wade, Justin Young and Tony Newberry for helping in the arrest of an armed suspect.

— Officers Kia Vest and Kathryn Saunders for helping remove two elderly residents from a house fire.

— Records specialists Jason Dent and Robert Fox for work that helped in the apprehension of a murder suspect.

— Officer Derrick Dean for helping catch an armed robbery suspect.

— Officers Newberry, Carper, William Chan, Mike Flaherty, Lee Gibson, John Wormly, Brady Kirby, Brent Hall and Albemarle Police officer Dave Rhodes for their work in resolving a potential barricade situation involving wanted felons.

— Sgt. David Jones and officer Harvey Finkel for helping with the department’s re-accreditation process.

— Detective Phil Giles, Garlin Mills, Joe Brown, Durrette Williams with Albemarle Police, and Albemarle Sheriff’s Deputy Melvin Davis for helping catch a bank robbery suspect.

— Phil Martin, community resource officer at Buford Middle School, for outstanding performance.

— Casey Breeden, records specialist, for helping with 507 arrest warrants.

— Dave Glassman, for superior service to the vehicle fleet and work on mobile data computer and in-car video projects.

— Sgts. Phil Brown, Tito Durrette, Steve Upman, along with Locia Arnette and Tom Estes for 15 years’ service.

— Sgt. Paul Davis for 20 years’ service.

— Bobby Durrer, animal control officer, for 25 years’ service.

The ceremony was held at the Omni Charlottesville Hotel.