2011 Civilian of the Quarter

January through March | Marsha Cochran

Congratulations on being selected as the Florida Highway Patrol’s Civilian Employee of the Quarter from January through March 2011.

Marsha Cochran is an integral part of the Office of Strategic Services. Part of the duties of the office is to manage the Patrol’s hireback programs. Hireback programs are projects created by mutual agreement between the Patrol and other government entities that compensate members for performing specified law enforcement duties outside their regular duty hours. Cochran oversees the FHP’s hireback contracts, which includes reviewing for accuracy all hireback forms submitted by field personnel, initiating corrective action for errors and preparing payroll forms. This requires her to maintain constant contact with hireback coordinators, troop commanders, agency payroll and accounting personnel to ensure that the Division is reimbursed in a timely manner.

During the first quarter of the year, Cochran worked tirelessly with agency personnel to create an Electronic Hireback Reporting System to reduce errors, eliminate postage costs and provide a much more efficient method for reporting and tracking hireback. She also coordinated FHP’s Bullet-Proof Vest grant that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars reimbursed to the agency for the purchase of new or replacement vests. The grant, funded through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by the Department of Justice, reimburses FHP for half of the funds spent to purchase vests for members.

Cochran interacts with members within and outside the Patrol and shows a willingness to proactively accept additional responsibilities to ensure the Patrol fulfills its contractual obligations. Her actions help better the Florida Highway Patrol and the community.

April through June | Sylvia Brown

The Florida Highway Patrol selected Sylvia Brown as Civilian Employee of the Quarter for April through June 2011.

Brown has exhibited many qualities essential for the position of Senior Clerk. She consistently goes above and beyond when it comes to providing service as well as being a valuable resource to the members of the district in terms of administrative knowledge. She has implemented procedures to improve operations at the district level, which included developing an electronic system of storing documents instead of hard copies. This procedure has improved office efficiency.

She continues to display the friendliest of demeanors at all times. Brown provides a positive example for others to follow.

July through September | Amy Tifft

The Florida Department of Transportation’s Office of Motor Carrier Compliance merged into the Florida Highway Patrol in July 2011.

After the extended sickness and death of the records clerk at the Pensacola FHP station, Amy Tifft, who previously worked for Motor Carrier Compliance, began to work part-time in the Pensacola District FHP office to assist with the workload. Tifft works at the FHP station three days a week and works the other two days at the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement office in Milton. Since she began to assist with records, she has been eager to learn the position. Her performance has been exemplary. Tifft greets all customers with a cheerful disposition and demonstrates genuine caring for their situations, assisting in every way possible. She has developed a great working relationship with the district’s members and has quickly adapted to all aspects of her new responsibilities.

Tifft continuously serves above and beyond the demands of her duties and makes Troop A run more efficient. Congratulations to Amy Tifft for being named the Civilian Employee of the Quarter!

October through December | Ronald Emery

Congratulations to Ronald Emery for being selected Civilian Employee of the Quarter. Emery has demonstrated consistent performance and dedication to the Florida Highway Patrol and the Division of Motorist Services. He is the sole maintenance and repairperson for Troop G in Jacksonville. Emery provides maintenance and repair services to five Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles properties: Jacksonville FHP, Middleburg vehicle impound facility, St. Augustine FHP, Green Cove Springs FHP and the closed Wilson Boulevard Motorist Services building.

Emery has earned a reputation for always arriving to work early, supervising inmate maintenance personnel and performing many repair and maintenance services previously completed by vendors. These services save FLHSMV thousands of dollars each year. Emery has been instrumental and invaluable in the renovations to the Jacksonville station to facilitate Commercial Vehicle Enforcement personnel moving into that facility.

Emery continuously goes above and beyond his assigned job duties and works to ensure Troop G runs efficiently. His actions are valuable contributions to the Florida Highway Patrol and the community.