Police and Public Safety Department announces awards and promotions

Officers from the Department of Police and Public Safety recently gathered with colleagues, friends and family in the Harris Alumni Center to celebrate 16 promoted officers, three awardees and the year’s accomplishments.

Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber remarked on the impact of the police force on the campus community and commended officers’ daily (and nightly) efforts to keep the community safe.

“UNC Charlotte is blessed to have a cadre of officers who are largely regarded as the gold standard among the UNC System’s police departments,” said Gaber. “These well-deserved promotions and awards signify the highest levels of professionalism, knowledge and performance.”

The first award presented was Officer of the Year, which was selected from the 2024 Officer of the Month recipients. This year’s recipient, Cpl. James Rusher, was recognized for his dedicated outreach, which included saving a student in distress.

“Cpl. Rusher is a dedicated member of our team,” said Police Chief Jeffrey Baker. “He has been recognized by the Board of Commissioners for his excellent outreach efforts on campus and is an integral part of our squad.”

The David A. Coleman Sr. Excellence in Leadership Award was presented to Sgt. Angela Ortiz, who was recognized for leadership and expertise in investigative work. This award commemorates the late deputy chief Coleman’s career and life as an impactful leader in law enforcement.

“Sgt. Ortiz is vital to our team,” said Baker. “She is the perfect recipient for this award, because she is an incredible leader for our team and beyond. Each day she arrives for duty, she goes above and beyond and is a great role model.”

Baker presented the final award to Jaclyn Simmons, a member of Student Ranger Program — a program for students interested in maintaining the safety of the campus community. Simmons received a commendation for meritorious service. She also assisted Lt. Stephanie Klein with the CALEA accreditation process.

Officer Santerrio Johnson was promoted to lieutenant; Officers Samuel Beras, Nelson Loretto, Marc Nell ’23 and Richard West were promoted to sergeant; and Officers Danielle Albano, Ronnie Andrews, Stephen Chatfield, Thomas Cloer, Jonisha Cullars, Jason Johnson, Sean Melvin, Edward Plant, James Rusher, Hunter Simmons ’20 and ’22 and Darrell Warren were promoted to corporal.

“I am proud of every officer on our team, but I’m especially proud when their hard work gets recognized as they advance in their careers and training to become even better officers than they already are,” said Baker.