(Greensburg, IN) – Greensburg Police Lt. Wayne Davis was named the 40th Law Officer of the Year by the Greensburg Optimist Club on Thursday.
Doug Orr with the Optimist Club presented a plaque to Davis during the event held at the Greensburg Community Bread of Life (pictured).
Davis, who has been with GPD for 16 years, is a 2004 graduate of North Decatur High School.
He joined the U.S. Army upon graduation, and his service included a deployment to Iraq.
Davis transitioned to police work when he was honorably discharged from the military in 2008, and joined GPD in September of that year.
He rose up through the ranks to Lieutenant, and oversees the officers on A Shift.
“It’s definitely something that would be impossible without the support of my fellow officers who I serve on shift with,” Davis said. “I genuinely feel like this job is a calling. And that calling is something that hit me at a young age.”
His father Russ is a retired Greensburg police officer and attended Thursday’s event. Davis’ mother Tracey worked as a dispatcher before becoming the first female on the force, serving as a reserve officer in the 1980s.
Davis says he didn’t expect to receive the award.
“Generally speaking in public safety, there’s not good secret keeping and that fact that I sat down this morning and had no idea, was very shocking to me. It’s very appreciated and a very pleasant suprise,” Davis said.
Police Chief Mike McNealy read the nomination letter at Thursday’s event, and Mayor Joshua Marsh delivered remarks and congratulated Davis.
The Greensburg Optimist Club started presenting the Law Officer of the Year Award in 1985.
