SAVANNAH, GA (February 14, 2011): Four members of the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department staff were recognized to the Exchange Club of Savannah after being selected by coworkers as employees of the year.
Patrolman Chris Tucker was named Police Officer of the Year for the second consecutive year; Lt. John Best was named Supervisor of the Year; Detective James Coleman was named Investigator of the Year; and Communications Specialist Diane Pinckney was named Civilian of the Year.
The Exchange Club annually presents the awards during a February meeting.
Tucker has been with SCMPD for three years and he is assigned to the Islands Precinct as a traffic officer under the command of Captain Ben Herron. He is also a member of the SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team. He joined the department after he was honorably discharged from the U.S .Army following seven years of active duty. He served three deployments to Iraq. He has been married for almost five years to Nicole Tucker. He has one daughter named Callie who is 2 years old. They are expecting a second daughter in April.
Best is a 26 year veteran of SCMPD who began his career in 1985 with the former Savannah Police Department. He has served as a Forensics Officer, TRAP (Tactical Reaction and Prevention) Officer, Violent Crimes Investigator and Sergeant in the Violent Crimes Unit. He also has served as Acting Commander in the Downtown Precinct, and Executive Officer in the Islands Precinct. He currently serves as the Executive Officer of the Southside Precinct. Best began and still coordinates “Operation Santa Paws” each year, collecting donations for local animal shelters. A U.S. Army veteran, he volunteers his time in assisting with traffic escorts, and traffic control. He also volunteers security planning and operations when SCMPD assistance is needed when fallen servicemen return to Savannah/ HAAF and Ft. Stewart. He and his wife Traci have a son, John Victor.
Coleman was Born and raised in Savannah. He and his wife Angelia, also an SCMPD Officer, have been married for 15 years . They have two children, Brandon, 13, and Ryon, 2. Coleman started his law enforcement career in 1992 with the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department and moved to the Chatham County Police Department 1996. He has worked in Criminal Investigations since 2000, including violent crimes, property crimes, vice investigations and drug investigations. He also has been a member of the SWAT Team since 1999. He is currently assigned to the West Chatham Precinct as an investigator.
Pinckney is one of two Communications Center Coordinators. She began her career in Public Safety as a Communications Officer on St. Patrick’s Day of 1986 with the former Chatham County Police Department. Currently assigned to Communications training and certification, she also serves as the agency’s Terminal Agency Coordinator, responsible for working with agency heads to ensure compliance with the Georgia Crime Information Center Council Rules and State and Federal laws regarding the use of the criminal justice information System. Ms. Pinckney also serves as a volunteer Chaplain with Memorial University Medical Center and is a member of the Fellowship of Love Community Church where she sings in the choir. She and her husband Rufus enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren.
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