Goldsboro D.A.R.E. officer honored
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on January 23, 2007 1:46 PM
Goldsboro police officer Willie Thomas was named D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year at the annual North Carolina D.A.R.E. Officers Association Training Conference held in Asheville Jan. 8-12.
In addition to winning the award, Thomas also was elected president of the state association.
"I have a lot of people to thank, but the main ones are the students who have gone through the program and allowed me into their lives for a short time," Thomas said.
Thomas started with the Goldsboro Police Department in 1987 and has been teaching the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program to students in city schools and St. Mary's Catholic School since 1994.
"In the past 13 years, Thomas has touched the lives of innumerable children in our community making a positive impact," Goldsboro police Chief Tim Bell said in a statement. "Goldsboro Police Department strongly supports the D.A.R.E. program and commends Officer Thomas for the outstanding job he has done, and continues to do."
Thomas is married, is the father of three, and grandfather of two grandsons. He and his wife live in Dudley.