The Thomasville Police Department named Jamil Gatlin as its 2019 Outstanding Employee of the Year. During 2019, Gatlin received two Officer of the Month nominations for his compassion and dedication throughout the Thomasville Community.
“It is with great pride that we name Officer Gatlin as the 2019 Thomasville Police Department Outstanding Employee of the Year,” said Thomasville Police Chief Troy Rich. “Since joining the force in 2017, Officer Gatlin has proven to be a caring, patient and committed police officer for our community.”
“Being selected as the employee of the year goes to show you even when you might think you’re not doing enough, someone is always watching you,” said Gatlin. “It’s truly amazing to have a career where you can not only help people, but feel the impact of your good duties.”
The multiple nominations for Gatlin to be named employee of the month were submitted by fellow officers of the Police Department as part of the TPD’s employee recognition program. This program encourages all employees of the department to recognize their peers for going above and beyond the call of duty. Gatlin’s nominations highlighted multiple performance characteristics observed by his fellow officers.
“Officer Gatlin’s nominations all remarked on his outstanding character in the face of adversity,” said Rich. “He was also recognized for his selfless attitude, calmness and demeanor in confrontational situations, outstanding assistance in training newer officers, and the empathy and willingness he displays while serving his community. All of these characteristics are extremely important in building levels of trust with those a police officer comes in contact with while serving his fellow citizens.”
As part of the employee recognition program, officers are nominated for outstanding employee of the month, with nominations voted on by supervisors. At the end of the year, nominations are also accepted for employee of the year. These nominations, along with employee of the month nominations are then given to the Rotary Club for their vote on Employee of the Year.
“Officer Gatlin is professional and works hard to earn the trust of the community, while always doing everything he can to best serve all citizens of our community,” said Rich. “He spends his time mentoring our youth, both on and off duty, and is a fixture at the local YMCAs where he plays basketball with kids of all ages. Officer Gatlin is a role model for young people and a true support system for our community.”
Many officers state a desire to help others as a reason they wish to enter the profession, and Rich said that Gatlin lives the desire every day while serving the community. “Gatlin has all the qualities a police officer needs to have to be successful in the career of law enforcement; his ceiling is very high. Although we only have one winner for employee of the year, all the employees strive to exceed community expectations on a daily basis.”
According to Gatlin, “It’s just an amazing feeling to interact with people in the community and feel the change taking place. Growing up in South Georgia I didn’t hear much about Police Officers being active in the community.” Gatlin understands that one of the most important parts of his job is to continue to assist the department with its positive community presence and growth. “I feel that we in Law Enforcement have a long way to go to bridge the gap, but every day is a step forward process. Everything we’re doing now as an agency is on the right track towards that success.”