COURTHOUSE — The First Police Precinct Citizens Advisory Committee this month recognized three top officers for excellent service to the city – and the organization presented a new award for a civilian who supports the sworn officers in their duties and the committee.
Those recognized with annual awards on Wednesday, Feb. 2, were Lt. Ryan Jason, the 2021 supervisor of the year, Officer Z.P. Harrington, the 2021 officer of the year, and storekeeper Jay Crowley as civilian of the year.
Officer K.J. Bush, who works in patrol in the precinct, was recognized as officer of the quarter during the committee meeting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center.
Police Capt. Marcie Fox, commanding officer of the precinct, and Teddy Baker, vice president of the committee, presented the awards during the meeting.
The First Precinct covers much of the southern city, including the main coverage area of The Independent News, and the committee supports the efforts of the precinct and its officers.
“Today is definitely a celebration,” Fox said. “We’ve got some new beginnings, and we’ve got a lot of things to celebrate from last year. I am honored to present several awards today.”
“She is an excellent officer,” Fox said. “She’s being awarded today because of her productivity out on the street. We want to award her for her 23 arrests, 25 outstanding warrants that she served.”
And Fox said Bush has worked a number of cases. “More importantly, it is that she is an out-of-the-box thinker,” Fox said. “She’s done several things that make her stand out.”
Bush has served with the department for nearly five years. She said the work in patrol is diverse, from handling calls for service to arrests to simply assisting people who need help.
“We respond when people experience the worst things in their lives, and we try to help them,” she said during an interview.
“We try to be the good in between the bad,” Bush added.
Bush said she appreciated the recognition, but that she was doing her job. She grew up in Richmond before studying criminal justice and with a minor in psychology at Old Dominion University in Norfolk prior to joining the department, her first police job.
She said she enjoys working with her fellow officers – and said the diverse nature of the district makes it a good place to work. “I love the First and the people of the First.”
“This is a new award that the CAC has decided together we are going to start awarding,” Fox said, “and we’re going to award it to citizens who help the CAC and the First Precinct be the team that we are.”
Fox said Crowley is “the keeper of all things supply for us,” assisting officers with equipment and even responding to critical incidents.
“Thank you for your work,” Fox said.
Crowley said during an interview that his work includes testing and evaluating equipment, buying and issuing it, solving challenges with any gear and seeking out new technologies. He supports the entire department, though his office is located with the precinct.
“Personally, I don’t think I do anything special to deserve an award,” he said. “I just do my job.”
Crowley has been with the department nearly a decade, and he is a retired U.S. Navy damage controlman who originally hails from Charlestown, Mass.
“My neighborhood is known for hockey players and bank robbers,” he said. “I couldn’t skate good enough, and I couldn’t do time.”
So he went with the Navy.
Crowley said he enjoys his work with the department.
“The officers are really good people,” he said. “I take it seriously where I try to make sure they have everything they need to do their job safely.”
Fox said he and his colleagues have contributed to low crime in the precinct through their work.
Harrington, a New York native who studied at State University of New York-Fredonia, has served in the department for almost six years. He has served in community-oriented policing and, now, with the crime suppression squad, an idea introduced to the department by Police Chief Paul Neudigate.
“He brought that idea here, and it’s really paying off,” Harrington said during an interview. “I think I’ve been fortunate to be on my squad. I’ve been given opportunities to succeed.”
He credited colleagues, supervisors and staff with the recognition, as well as his partner. He said he likes the work environment and opportunities to help people.
“It’s a squad award for sure,” he said. “Without the squad, I wouldn’t have been able to do half the things.”
“He’s instrumental to the way that we function,” Fox said. “He’s been very selfless with his time and his efforts.”
Fox said Jason does not find any task too small if it helps, such as walking paperwork to the courthouse on behalf of one of the officers. Jason said he cares about the work of the precinct and bringing along the officers. Like the other awardees noted, he appreciated the recognition, but he said it reflects a group effort.
“I would say it’s really a result of the people I work around,” Jason said during an interview. “We can work effectively as a team. … I believe you lead by example and work hard. and you can get other people to work hard, too.”
Jason, a Massachussetts native, has been in the precinct for about seven years, and was previously recognized as Supervisor of the Year for 2016 when he was a sergeant.
After two decades on the force, he still enjoys the work and the opportunity to help develop others.
“Every day brings different challenges,” he said. “It keeps me engaged.”
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