Chris Copp Named 2012 Cedar Falls Police Officer of the Year

Media release from Cedar Falls Police Department

During a ceremony at the police department on Feb. 28, Cedar Falls Police Chief Jeff Olson announced the 2012 department awards. 

Officer Chris Copp was the named the 2012 Police Officer of the Year.

Officer Copp was nominated by his supervisors for the award due to his skilled investigative abilities and his natural leadership abilities. Officer Copp has become a go-to person to handle complicated and delicate situations as well as major traffic accidents.

Of note, Officer Copp handled a stolen weapons case in 2012 which resulted in six arrests and the recovery of eight stolen weapons. This investigation involved multiple agencies and jurisdictions. 

Officer Copp also initiated an investigation involving a series of vehicle vandalism in Cedar Falls. With little information available to him, Officer Copp completed the investigation which resulted in three arrests and nearly 60 cases cleared. 

Officer Copp is a five year veteran of the department and is currently assigned to second shift patrol. 

Lieutenant Tim Smith was named the 2012 R.J. Voss Award recipient.

Lieutenant Smith was nominated for the award by his supervisors and is known as a very active street supervisor. In looking at his accomplishments in 2012, an incident involving a stabbing in downtown Cedar Falls stands out. Lt. Smith was the supervisor in charge of the incident and he ensured all the necessary steps were followed to preserve the crime scene and secure an arrest in the incident.  In addition to his supervisory duties on third shift, Lt. Smith is a member of the Bike Patrol, Major Incident Response Team and is a firearms instructor. 

The R.J. Voss Award is given to a Cedar Falls Police Supervisor annually in memory of former Cedar Falls Assistant Chief Richard J. Voss who died on October 28, 1980. 

Investigator Mike Briggs received an Award of Excellence for his contribution to the Department in 2012.

Investigator Briggs was nominated for this award due to the handling of numerous incidents involving serious crime. His efforts led to the arrest and conviction of a number of dangerous individuals within the community. Through hard work and diligence, Investigator Briggs has provided a high level of service to all of those affected by criminal action. In nominating Investigator Briggs, his supervisors note that he consistently exceeds standards and excels in the area of criminal investigation.

Investigator Briggs is a 23 year veteran of the police department and has been assigned to the investigative unit since 2010. 

Reserve Officer Samir Husidic has been named the 2012 Reserve Officer of the Year. 

R.O. Husidic has been with the department since 2005 and generally volunteers his time to assist third shift patrol officers. Reserve Officer Husidic was nominated for this award due to his ability to handle a wide variety of situations and events. Despite being a volunteer, members of the department rely upon his ability to handle incidents encountered while on patrol. Reserve Officer Husidic is also a member of the Iowa National Guard and has served two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.    

Reserve Officer Dan Clark has received the 2012 Conger Award.

The award is given to the reserve officer who completes the highest number of hours during the calendar year. Reserve officers are required to complete 16 hours per month, and Reserve Officer Clark has well-exceeded that requirement.

The award is given annually in memory of Reserve Officer Dan Conger who was killed in a motor vehicle accident in June of 2004.