Cody Whittaker is Cobleskill’s top police officer for 2020.
Police Chief Jeff Brown presented the 2020 Officer of the Year award to Officer Whittaker at the Cobleskill Village Board meeting last Tuesday.
As Officer Whittaker and the audience listened, Chief Brown cited his “ability and talent for excellent police work not only during routine patrol, but also in vehicle and traffic law enforcement, criminal investigations and arrests, accident investigations and community relations.”
Chief Brown also praised Officer Whittaker’s work as evidence technician, firearms instructor and duties he either volunteered for or was assigned to.
Wilson, the department’s specially-trained dog, was on hand because Officer Whittaker is the PD’s canine handler. Chief Brown pointed to his work with Wilson, too.
“Your enthusiasm and dedication to your assignment as canine handler has been very impressive,” Chief Brown said.
“Despite a challenging training schedule, you were able to become a certified canine team with your canine partner Wilson, and you have continually taken it upon yourself to improve many aspects of the department’s canine program.”
Officer Whittaker has been with the Police Department since 2014, “and he has enough years under his belt to become a solid police officer,” Chief Brown said afterwards.
Chief Brown started the Officer of the Year award last year, for the 2019 calendar year, and Officer Joelle West was the first.
“It’s a way to recognize excellent police work,” Chief Brown said. “We have other ways to do that, but we never had an internal award like this.”
Officer Whittaker received a letter of recognition and a personal plaque. He’ll also receive an Excellent Police Service Award commendation bar to wear on his uniform, and his name will be added to an Officer of the Year plaque on display at the Police Department.