The October 18th chapter dinner meeting was held at the Kings Fork Community House. Chapter member Jonathan Echols, with assistance from the cooking crew, prepared what is becoming an “annual fish fry” dinner. The menu consisted of several types of fish, french fries, coleslaw, hush puppies and an assortment of deserts.
The guest speaker for the evening was Chief Deputy David Miles (pictured at left) of the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office (SSO). Deputy Miles began his career in law enforcement in the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office and then transferred to the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office in 2015. The presentation consisted of an overview of the responsibilities of the SSO from civil law enforcement, inmate transportation, security of the Mills E. Godwin courts complex to servicing various court orders. He gave an explanation of those areas of responsibility and how those responsibilities are carried out.
Deputy Miles also explained how the SSO has been accredited by the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission (VLEPSC) for meeting established professional standards in the execution of their responsibilities. Community outreach is also an important area the SSO is involved in. One of the many activities mentioned was their scholarship program. Through the Virginia Sheriff’s Institute, the SSO offers annual scholarship opportunities to students majoring in Criminal Justice programs within the state of Virginia.
The Tobin Award is an annual award presented to the member who shows up for all meetings, volunteers for work crews, serves on committees, helps maintain the park and generally makes the organization run more smoothly. The 2022 Tobin Award was presented to Mike Lane by chapter president Chris Ferguson.
Mike has been a member of the chapter since 1989. He serves on the Board of Directors, is a member of the Suffolk Clean City Commission and has been the chapter’s lead for our dam recertification efforts. He was also instrumental in our obtaining a parcel of land adjacent to our park which is a key to the long-term preservation of our park. These are only a few examples of Mike’s contributions and dedication to our chapter. Congratulations Mike!