Below are the Auxiliary’s 2020 statewide and district winners. In addition, four Auxiliaries received Certificates of Recognition from the Patrol for actions last year. Congratulations to all of these Auxiliary Officers.
State Auxiliary of the Year
Auxiliary Lt. Mary McPherson is our Auxiliary Officer of the Year. Mary joined the Auxiliary in May 2003 and for most of her career was based out of D9 before moving to Columbus. McPherson volunteered over 900 hours with the Patrol in 2020, the vast majority of that time working emergency callout duties including assisting at food distribution details and the Ohio Statehouse during protests. Mary was promoted to sergeant in 2006 and to lieutenant in 2009.
William J. Duffy Award of Excellence
Auxiliary Sgt. Joshua Jordan is the 2020 William J. Duffy Award of Excellence recipient. Josh joined the Auxiliary in February 2018. He was promoted to sergeant at the end of 2019. In 2020, Josh volunteered over 1300 hours with the Patrol, including 260 hours on road patrol with troopers and 452 hours doing emergency callouts including assisting at food distribution details and the Ohio Statehouse during protests. Over the last three years, Jordan has volunteered a total of 2801 hours with the Patrol.
Certificates of Recognition
Colonel Richard Fambro has awarded the following Auxiliaries the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Certificate of Recognition: Auxiliary Lieutenant Mary McPherson, Auxiliary Sergeant Joshua J. Jordan, and Auxiliary Officers Kelly Bratton and Richard Ji.
On May 4, 2020, Auxiliary Lieutenant Mary McPherson and Auxiliary Officers Kelly Bratton and Richard Ji were at St. Stephen's Community House in Columbus for a special detail directing traffic for the food pantry. On that day, they observed a car going west on 17th Avenue with another car chasing behind it. The lead car lost control, jumped the curb, and spun onto the grass near the food pantry parking lot. The subject of that car fled on foot into the neighborhood. Auxiliary Officer Richard Ji contacted the Columbus Dispatch Center and gave the location, direction, and plate numbers of the vehicles involved and requested assistance to the scene. Officer Kelly Bratton checked on the driver of the car that was hit in the intersection making sure they were okay, while Auxiliary Lieutenant McPherson checked on the driver that was chasing the first car at a high rate of speed. The driver said that she was chasing her vehicle because it had been stolen from her front yard. The Auxiliaries kept the Columbus Dispatch Center informed and secured the scene until Columbus Police and medics arrived. McPherson, Bratton and Ji are hereby awarded the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Certificate of Recognition.
On April 9, 2020, Trooper Jarid I. Fitzpatrick was working traffic control at the St. Stephens Community Food Pantry in Columbus, Ohio, when he witnessed a man chasing a woman in a car down 17th Avenue. His vehicle struck her car, causing her to lose control in the food pantry parking lot. The suspect then drove into the parking lot to pursue her but became trapped in traffic. As the suspect exited his vehicle he charged Trooper Fitzpatrick. Auxiliary Sergeant Joshua J. Jordan quickly responded to assist Trooper Fitzpatrick with the aggressive suspect, who was later found to be under the influence. The suspect was subdued and later charged and convicted of felony domestic violence and OVI. For his assistance in diffusing a dangerous situation, Auxiliary Sergeant Joshua J. Jordan is hereby awarded the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Certificate of Recognition.
2020 Auxiliary District Winners
Congratulations to all our Auxiliary district award winners.
D1 Findlay: Aux. Officer Joshua Scharp, P-32
D2 Bucyrus: Aux. Sgt. Tom Reffey, P-17
D3 Cleveland: Aux. Officer Lorenzo Butts, P-76
D4 Warren: Aux. Officer Alex Kalis, P-78
D5 Piqua: Aux. Sgt. Jami Hackworth, P-12
D6 Columbus: Aux. Officer Xiaoxiang (Richard) Ji, P-21
D7 Cambridge: Aux. Sgt. Eric Heller, P-79
D8 Wilmington: Aux. Officer Jeremy Gale, P-14
D9 Jackson: Aux. Officer Tyler Griffis, P-5