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VHBC President Willie L. Glasper Sr. presents Mississippi Highway Patrol Sergeant Willie Jones with the Officer of the Year award (Blake Bell | The Vicksburg Post).

VHBC President Willie L. Glasper Sr. presents Captain Joseph Rusche with the Firefighter of the Year award (Blake Bell | The Vicksburg Post).

VHBC President Willie L. Glasper Sr. presents Vicksburg Police Sergeant Donnie Heggins with The Artel Moore Award for Officer of the Year (Blake Bell | The Vicksburg Post).

VHBC President Willie L. Glasper Sr. presents Warren County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Chreka Clark with the Officer of the Year award (Blake Bell | The Vicksburg Post).

Pictured from left, are Mississippi Highway Patrol F.T.O. Trooper Darnika B. Mayfield with Sergeant Willie Jones’s award for Officer of the Year, Vicksburg Fire Department Captain Joseph Rusche, VHBC President Willile L. Glasper Sr., Vicksburg Police Department Sergeant Donnie Heggins and Warren County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Chreka Clark (Blake Bell | The Vicksburg Post).

Local law enforcement officers and firefighters were honored Wednesday night by the Vicksburg Homecoming Benevolent Club (VHBC) during the 40th Annual Officer/Fireperson of the Year Banquet.

Officers from the Vicksburg Police Department, Vicksburg Fire Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Department and Mississippi Highway Patrol were nominated by his or her commanding officers and nominees and winners were announced during Wednesday night’s banquet at the Vicksburg Event & Business Center.

“We want you all to know that we appreciate you all,” Master of Ceremonies Doris Clavelle said.

This year’s winners were: Vicksburg Police Department Officer of the Year (The Artel Moore Award) – Sergeant Donnie Heggins; Vicksburg Fire Department Firefighter of the Year – Captain Joseph Rusche;  Warren County Sheriff’s Department Officer of the Year – Deputy Chreka Clark; Mississippi Highway Patrol Officer of the Year – Sergeant Willie Jones.

VHBC President Willie L. Glasper Sr. announced Wednesday’s winners and thanked all officers, firefighters and other first responders for their service.

“We want to say thank you to all of the nominees,” Glasper said. “Each nominee is a winner. That your supervisors recognize you as one that is outstanding at your job duties; to recognize you as one that deserves the honor of recognition, that proves right there that you are a winner.”

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