Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Hands Out Fourth-Quarter Awards

Toni Blanco sat with determination to see her father receive his award for Deputy Detention Deputy of the Quarter.

"I'm here to see him get his award," Blanco said. "He gets bad guys who are doing bad stuff."

Blanco joined an auditorium full of people Dec. 8 at the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office on Falkenbury Road for the year's final Recognition Awards Ceremony. The quarterly event pays homage to retirees, employees with service milestones and workers and private citizens who help to keep the community safe.

"It's an opportunity for us to kind of pat ourselves on the back," said Debbie Carter, the office's public information officer. "It's also an opportunity for us to recognize retirees and employees for their longevity (of service). And it's a time to recognize the deputies who have gone above and beyond the call of duty."

The Gold Cross Award went to the family of Deputy Mark Longway, a Hillsborough High School graduate and 21-year Air Force Veteran, who was killed in a traffic crash Sept. 21. Longway, who is survived by his wife and two daughters, was fond of saying he first served his country, and then his county.

A list of fourth-quarter honorees follows:

Retirees:

• Deputy Benjamin Dickens
• Martin Strauss

20 Years of Service:

• Lt. Luis Llauger
• Sgt. Dan Lubinski
• Cpl. Mary Jones
• Detective Michael Massimei
• Detective David Stofflet
• Master Deputy Paul Shute
• Deputy Donald Alexander
• Deputy David Collins
• Deputy Paul Dove
• Deputy Daniel Hinds
• Deputy Michael Newell
• Lois Barrera
• Barbara Hall
• Kenneth Wingert

25 Years of Service:

• Sgt. Gil Sainz
• Cpl. John Conroy
• Cpl. Jill Isaacson
• Deputy Heinz Bachmann
• Deputy Royce Branch
• Deputy Mark Darst
• Deputy John Feazell
• Deputy Kathie Luft
• Deputy Carlo Spano
• Deputy Susan Williams
• Reserve II Major Joel Freedland

30 Years of Service:

• Lt. Robert Simpson
• Lt. Steven Wallace
• Cpl. Donald Balaban
• Pilot Kevin Johnson
• Donald Mitchell

Citizen's Award:

• The Fernandez family of La Septima Café
• Allen Kleinotas

Civilian Employee of the Year:

• Jeannette Swisher

Detention Deputy of the Quarter

• Master Deputy Raul A. Blanco

Law Enforcement Deputy of the Quarter:

• Deputy Ryan Zacher

Distinguished Performance Award:

• Detective William Alexander

Outstanding Squad Award:

• Sgt. Greg Jennings
• Cpl. Troy Saulnier
• Detective William Alexander
• Detective Jeffrey Catlin
• Detective David Evarts
• Detective Fernando Fragoso
• Detective William Gergel
• Detective Robert Ramirez
• Detective Watts Sanderson
• Detective Christopher Seaton
• Detective Marc Wilder
• Deborah Eash

Officers of Foreign Wars Law and Order Award:

• Cpl. Mark Clark

Gold Cross Award:

• Presented to the family of Deputy Mark Longway