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Greer Police Lt. Jimmy Holcombe was honored by the Citizens Police Academy alumni on March 11 for his dedication to the success of the civilian volunteer group.
The Greer Public Appreciation Dinner, sponsored by the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce, is Thursday at the Cannon Centre. Police, fire, EMS and first responders are guests. The public is invited to attend and sponsor public safety officers.
Public Safety Appreciation Dinner
Thursday, 7 p.m.
Cannon Centre, 204 Cannon Street.
Sponsor an officer: $30 each.
Table sponsor: $400.
Individual ticket: $30.
Call Mark Owens at the Chamber of Commerce at 864-877-3131, ext. 102.
“Lt. Holcombe was honored for his hard work and outstanding dedication to the program and its volunteers,” stated Angie Childers, one of the first graduates and a volunteer since. “He has shown great enthusiasm and passion with each new CPA class.”
Holcombe has been the CPA’s coordinator since the Greer Police Department began the initiative in 2009. It has grown from an annual class to twice annual plus a youth CSI Academy in the summer that is hosted by the CPA alumni
Dale Haule, retired military, attended the CPA in fall 2012 and has been a volunteer since. Haule helped coordinate the Cops for Tots distribution last Christmas at the Cannon Centre. “The Academy was presented in an up front manner and any questions would be answered in the same manner,” Haule wrote after completing the course.
Holcombe nurtured the volunteers along the way and encouraged them to continue serving the community at events Greer police worked. CPA alumni routinely work side-by-side with officers at Family Fest, Oktoberfest, Cops for Tots and public service events that educate citizens on the public safety programs.
The alumni, with more than 20 active members, meet every two months. Holcombe was honored at last Tuesday’s meeting. The CPA is holding a food drive for Greer Community Ministries and invites the public to bring non-perishable food or canned goods to the police department.
Childers has been on the receiving end of Holcombe’s vision of the CPA. She was selected as the alumnus of the year for the Greer CPA last year and was also recognized as the national winner at the National Citizens Police Academy Association Conference in Orlando, Fla.
“(Holcombe) encourages the volunteers to create new ideas and programs for the department, and continues to show complete faith in his volunteers,” stated Childers. “It is that faith in his volunteers that has created a level of expectation that each new member strives to achieve.”
Alumni have described Holcombe as helpful and outgoing, forgiving spirit, humble and modest and willing to give of his personal time to help others.
Childers recalled the CPA was unable to staff the Junior CSI Class last summer because of scheduling conflicts. “However, one student came to the department interested in policing and especially forensic science,” Childers said. “She is heading toward a possible career as a pathologist and Holcombe arranged for the student to visit various departments around the county – fingerprint, drug lap, ballistics, forensics, DNA lab, SWAT and the coroner’s office, her favorite.”