Events/Projects :: Unsung Heroes Recognition Dinner :: 2008 Winners Bios

TUCSON POLICE FOUNDATION
Unsung Heroes 2008 Winners

Lieutenant Mike Pryor

Mike, a 22 year TPD veteran, has dedicated himself for several years to reducing alcohol abuse by adults and especially minors in the Tucson community. That dedication has worked to reduce underage drinking and driving under the influence of alcohol. This isn't just a job for him, it's his passion. Lt. Pryor recently created the 837-SAFE (7233) Tip Line, which is expected to make a big difference in both underage drinking and serving of alcohol. This tip line is being housed at TPD and marketed by the Community Prevention Coalition. He works with the Coalition to identify and fulfill the law enforcement role in the Tucson community. Lt. Pryor has worked tirelessly toward the implementation of DUI checkpoints. His work stretches much farther than TPD including county, state, regional and federal initiatives. His work and leadership on the issues of underage and impaired drinking have consistently demonstrated that Mike has the vision, skills and commitment to make each of us safer and our community a better place to live.

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Sergeant Jennifer Turner

In 1978, Jennifer was born in Turkey. Destined for a life of public service, she is the daughter of a U.S. Air Force Fighter Pilot and the granddaughter of a Brigadier General. After graduating from the University of Arizona, she joined the Tucson Police Department in 2000. She quickly moved forward in the department by being honored with special assignments/achievements teaching new officers at the academy, and dedicating herself as a member of the TPD Peer Support Program. Her determination led Jennifer to be promoted to the rank of detective where she worked in the Domestic Violence Unit. She is currently a well-respected patrol sergeant in the Operations Division East.

Sgt. Turner is known as someone who "has her hand in everything". She takes every opportunity to work and get to know the officers that work for her. She spends time as a board member of TPD's Hearts of Gold Police Family Outreach Program, as well as a member of the Old Pueblo Civitan Club (serving those with special needs or developmental disabilities). She also assists with the planning of multiple charitable events and fundraisers. In June 2008, Sgt. Turner experienced every police supervisor's nightmare. She was involved in a high-speed chase where a suspect fired at her vehicle several times. One of the rounds went through her windshield, injuring her with flying glass. Ultimately the suspect fatally injured Officer Erik Hite, a member of her squad. Without hesitation, Sgt. Turner and her squad's Lead Officer, Michael Thiffault, immediately assisted the injured officer, never once concerned with their own safety. In the days and months to follow, she provided her squad with countless hours of peer support. Jennifer also made herself available to the fallen officer's family. She is always thinking of and dedicating herself to others. She is the definition of an Unsung Hero.

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Sergeant Mike Garcia

Sgt. Garcia, a 26 year TPD veteran, is currently the supervisor of the Fraud Unit. His other TPD assignments included stints with Vice, Narcotics, Internal Affairs, Special Investigations – Organized Crime, and Night Detectives – Violent Crimes. Mike has made the Fraud Unit as effective as possible by building partnerships with the federal agencies in Tucson. While working as a supervisor in the Fraud Unit, Garcia has been recognized as an expert in Identity Theft. He has gathered information in this area and given presentations to numerous organizations and neighborhood associations, most on his own time. He has unselfishly given of his himself in many other ways. In 2007 Sgt. Garcia found out that an officer's son had terminal cancer, and the family was in need of financial assistance. He wanted to raise money for the family so he started the Angels in Blue golf tournament with Lt. Lew Bentley. The tournament, which involved countless hours, raised $10,000 for the family. The tournament continued in 2008 with the proceeds assisting the Tucson Police Foundation and another officer that was stricken with a terminal illness. It is now an annual event. Sgt. Garcia is also very active in TPD's Hearts of Gold Police Family Outreach Program. Mike never stops giving.

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Officer Mark Doe

Officer Doe is a member of the Gang Outreach Unit. This unit was created to focus on intervention and prevention to stop future violence by reducing gang membership, which means he is working with a number of at risk youth. In April 2007, while looking for ways to resurrect the Police Athletic League (PAL), Mark came up an idea to hold a charity boxing event to raise funds and awareness for this program which attempts to get kids off the street and participating in different athletic activities. In June he began full scale planning for the event, dubbed the Battle of the Badges. Over the next year Officer Doe worked tirelessly giving hundreds of hours of his own time, while still devoting time to his work on the Gang Outreach Unit, to make this event a reality. Mark, and other members of the Gang Outreach Unit, were able to garner community support. As a result of his vision and dedication, they were able to secure over $50,000 in services and products in support of the event. On Saturday, September 13, 2008 the Battle of the Badges was held at Hi Corbett Field in front of over 5,000 people. There were 18 bouts between law enforcement officers from departments and agencies throughout the community – local, county, state and federal. Southern Arizona law enforcement had not come together for an event like this in decades. The best news was the PAL program received over $15,000 in cash. Plans are underway to make this an annual event. Officer Doe's efforts will create a great springboard for the future of the PAL program, which will benefit the youth of our community.

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Michele Shaw – TPD Civilian Honoree

In her nearly 15 years as a City of Tucson employee, Michele Shaw has served as a sworn police officer, a police service operator in Communications, an analyst with the Counter Narcotics Alliance and now as an analyst with the Special Investigations Division – Home Invasion Unit. As an analyst in SID for almost five years, Michele has a myriad of duties. They include but are not limited to assisting detectives with intelligence gathering and analytical support, maintain the department's confidential informant files, monitor all police reports detailing missing adults, coordinating telecommunications monitoring and tracking of high profile investigations, and serving as one of TPD's Terrorism Liaison Officers. She is astute at gathering data and reducing it until it becomes meaningful for investigators. Michele also is one of the principle people whom the SID commander staff relies on to provide them with timely trends and analysis information on which they can make strategic decisions. She regularly responds to emergency callouts, often on non-work hours. When called on to assist with kidnappings and home invasions, Michele understands that minutes can make the difference between someone living or dying, so she promptly arrives within minutes of the call. Her efforts have directly contributed to saving lives by minimizing the amount of time it takes for investigators to track down kidnapping victims and suspects alike. As a Terrorism Liaison Officer, Michele acts as a conduit for both information and intelligence. She has established relationships with other federal, state and local TLOs that have directly benefited the Tucson Police Department. She quietly and without fanfare supports TPD's mission and values... day in and day out. Throughout this all Michele always has an excellent attitude.

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