A Collier
County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s public service and “go-getter” attitude have
earned him a prestigious award.
The Greater
Naples Chamber of Commerce, in association with the Naples Daily News, honored Cpl. Robert Lewis III with the 2015
Distinguished Public Service Award in Law Enforcement on Wednesday.
Members of
law enforcement, fire departments and rescue crews were honored at a ceremony
attended by more than 200 people at the Hilton Naples, 5111 U.S. 41 N.
The annual
awards recognize exceptional contributions, whether a single act or career
service, by a public service professional.
CCSO Chief
of Investigations Jim Williams was keynote speaker.
Cpl. Lewis
was recognized for his performance this year, which included 49 DUI arrests, 15 drug arrests 24 driving
with no license arrests, 27 other arrests, 454 citations, and 1,236 warnings.
He also conducted 66 vehicle crash investigations.
“Cpl. Robert
Lewis’ hard work, dedication and loyalty to the Sheriff’s Office have earned
him the reputation of being a go-getter and an effective deputy,’’ Sgt. Jacques
Pan-Kita wrote in a letter nominating Cpl. Lewis for the award. “Cpl. Lewis
does not stop until the job gets done.”
The 10-year
CCSO veteran’s accomplishments included arresting four suspects in a North
Naples convenience store robbery following a high-speed vehicle pursuit in
April and rescuing a driver trapped inside a vehicle that had flipped over a
guardrail and landed upside down in a canal. He also conducted two separate
traffic stops in one night that led to the discoveries of significant amounts
of marijuana inside the vehicles and the arrests of the drivers.
Additionally,
Cpl. Lewis was recognized by the local chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving
(MADD) for his outstanding performance in DUI enforcement for the entire
Southwest Florida region. His “ghost” vehicle was named Best Ford Police
Interceptor Sedan in the nation by Law and Order magazine.
When he’s
off duty, Cpl. Lewis attends Barry University, where he is working toward a
bachelor’s degree.
