2009 Duty Officers of the Quarter

January through March | Duty Officer Supervisor Linda Higbee, Duty Officer Patricia Krautheim and Duty Officer Eileen Dzuiba

Congratulations to Duty Officer Supervisor Linda Higbee, Duty Officer Patricia Krautheim and Duty Officer Eileen Dzuiba for being selected as the Florida Highway Patrol Duty Officer of the Quarter for January through March, 2009, for their role in locating a missing person.

On February 17, 2009, a male subject called the Fort Myers Regional Communications Center. He stated that he was looking for a female friend, who was traveling with her lawyer and an eight month old child. He also stated that she could possibly be stopped on the highway by her ex-husband and two other subjects who were armed and dangerous. She was previously answering her cellular phone but now was not. There was concern because she had been involved in two incidents regarding aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

A BOLO was broadcasted in the Naples area notifying Troopers of the above mentioned incident. DO Krautheim, after numerous attempts successfully made contact with the female victim at her residence in New York. She stated that she was fine and the male caller was an old boyfriend who had been in a mental institution, was suicidal and had made threats against her and her husband.

Upon hearing this DOS Higbee contacted the Lake Worth Communications Center to have them conduct a welfare check on the male caller due to the report that he was suicidal. Two FHP Troopers and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office responded to his residence in Lantana where he was taken into custody under the Baker Act.

Duty Officer Supervisor Linda Higbee, Duty Officer Patricia Krautheim and Duty Officer Eileen Dzuiba remained calm and professional while handling the incident which ended after their shift. Our Duty Officers displayed extreme patience, professionalism and dedication to duty and are congratulated for being the Florida Highway Patrol Duty Officer of the Quarter for January through March, 2009.

April through June | Duty Officer Patricia Raddatz

Congratulations to Duty Officer Patricia Raddatz for being selected as the Florida Highway Patrol Duty Officer of the Quarter for April through June 2009.

On May 24, 2009 DO Raddatz answered an incoming call from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It was a transferred call from a motorist that had run out of gas on Interstate 95. While speaking with the motorist she obtained information and determined that the situation was more than just a disabled vehicle. The motorist stated that he was from Pennsylvania and was with a 17 year old passenger that was considered a runaway. While the motorist was giving DO Raddatz this information she dispatched Trooper R. D. Naugher and officers from the Volusia County Sheriff’s office to the location.

Through further conversation with the motorist and the passenger, DO Raddatz gathered vehicle information and names and found that the passenger only knew the motorist by his first name. An inquiry into the NCIC system confirmed that the female was reported as a Missing Person with Disability from Pennsylvania. The vehicle that the pair was riding in had also been reported stolen by the Blairsville Police Department in Pennsylvania. The motorist was then placed in custody on felony charges and the female passenger was Baker Acted pending return to Pennsylvania.

DO Raddatz not only recognized that this was not a simple disabled vehicle call but also took the time to gather information and reached a conclusion that facilitated an arrest and returned a missing person back to her home state.

Duty Officer Patricia Raddatz is to be commended for her actions and her commitment to the safety of the people of Florida. Congratulations for being selected Duty Officer of the Quarter for April through June 2009.

July through September | Duty Officer Jean Jarvis

Congratulations to Duty Officer Jean Jarvis for being selected as the Florida Highway Patrol Duty Officer of the Quarter for July thru September 2009.

On September 14, 2009 Duty Officer Jean Jarvis answered an incoming call from an individual who was trying to locate their co-worker who had not arrived to work. The caller stated that the person was to have arrived in Destin, Florida around 7:00 am and that he never arrived. The caller further stated that the missing co-worker did call around 5:15 pm but that his speech was slurred and he was difficult to understand.

DO Jarvis then obtained the cellular telephone number for the missing subject and contacted the cell phone provider to attempt a location trace. The cellular provider was able to determine that the subject was at his residence in Orange County, Florida. DO Jarvis then made contact with Orange County Fire Rescue and had them respond to the residence of the subject. It was determined that the missing co-worker was having medical issues and was transported to a local hospital.

DO Jarvis is to be commended for her resourceful thinking and prevention of what could have been a tragic situation. DO Jarvis exemplifies the very best of what our duty officers are expected to handle at any given time and is congratulated for being selected as the Florida Highway Patrol Duty Officer of the Quarter for July through September 2009.

October through December | Duty Officer Lesley Holt and Duty Officer April Patrick

Congratulations to Duty Officer’s Lesley Holt and April Patrick for being selected as the Florida Highway Patrol Duty Officer of the Quarter for October thru December 2009, for their efforts and teamwork while dispatching an in-progress road rage incident on November 07, 2009.

RDO April Patrick received a call from a motorist who advised that she was a victim of a road rage incident and the other driver was ramming her vehicle. The caller was not certain of her exact location; however she was on the Florida’s Turnpike. RDO Patrick attempted to instruct the driver to separate herself from the other driver but was unsuccessful as the other vehicle continued to follow her. In the meantime RDO Lesley Holt dispatched two units to attempt to locate the caller. RDO Patrick stayed on the telephone with the victim for over eight minutes and calmly asked her questions in order to determine her current location.

As RDO Patrick continued to gather information, RDO Holt updated members in the field. Despite instructions to stay on the Turnpike, the caller exited and started driving around on side streets. RDO Holt took over the call and attempted to get locations and updates on the situation to pass along to our units, while RDO Patrick began making calls to other agencies for assistance off the Turnpike. The other vehicle continued to follow and ram the victim until law enforcement appeared in the area. The suspect vehicle then backed off and disappeared. RDO Patrick was able to confirm the location of the caller through the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.

RDO Holt continued dispatching information to our field units for approximately 1 hour. After meeting with the victim, the investigating trooper was able to locate the suspect at her home address and subsequently placed her under arrest.

Both RDO Patrick and RDO Holt performed their duties in a calm and professional manner throughout this situation. Their persistent efforts while providing support to everyone involved in this incident exemplifies the very best of what our duty officers are expected to handle at any given time. They both are congratulated for being selected as the Florida Highway Patrol Duty Officer of the Quarter for October through December 2009.