Officer of the Year Awards

 White County Republican Party recently announced their annual law enforcement awards, honoring two officers from White County Sheriff’s Office and one officer from Sparta City Police Department.

Travis Bates, who is in his eighth year of law enforcement, was honored with the Deputy of the Year Award, while Kenny Dobson received Law Enforcement of the Decade for his continuous dedication and service of 32 years with White County Sheriff’s Office.

“Kenny Dobson is the most genuine and loyal deputy in White County history,” White County Sheriff Steve Page said. “Kenny is absolutely deserving of this prestigious award without any doubt.  Kenny is one of the most loved people in White County, and he has been like a wonderful brother to me and is absolutely without a doubt the Deputy of the Decade after being a servant to the citizens of White County for 32 years.”

For the second award, Sheriff Page said that Travis Bates rises to the challenge of being a deputy and takes his responsibility of making the White County community a safe and great place to live.

“Travis Bates is very deserving of the Deputy of the Year Award, Sheriff Page said.  “Travis works tirelessly and gives his best every day. I challenge my deputies to make a difference on a daily basis, and Deputy Bates puts his best foot forward and absolutely makes White County a safer place to live for all.”

Brandon Starkey, who has been with Sparta Police Department for three years and is described by his peers as someone dedicated to keeping his community and family safe, was awarded the Officer of the Year Award.

“Brandon is an honest, loyal, and caring officer who loves his work and family. He is there when we need him and is particularly interested in the safety of our community.” Doug Goff, Sparta’s Chief of Police said. “He is a multi-talented team player and is very passionate about what he does. I can delegate him a task and trust it’s going to be completed.”

The police chief, who is also a member of the Republican Party, said that choosing who to recognize each year can be a daunting task, and there are many men and women who work on both the city and county law enforcement forces that are more than deserving of being recognized for the jobs they do every day.

“It’s a very challenging thing to choose who to select for this honor each year; we have so many deserving officers,” Goff said. “Those who are honored each year are more than just a name on a plaque. They are the ones who are sacrificing their life each moment of each day so you and your family can go home and live in peace.”

When describing the law enforcement officers chosen for the awards, the police chief quoted Matthew 5:9, “Jesus says blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.”