Officers Receive Odd Fellows Association Award
Outstanding police work by Sergeant Melissa Schultz that resulted in the arrest of a significant Ecstasy dealer on parole has now earned Schultz the Judge John L. Draper Joint Nashville Police Odd Fellow Award for the first half of 2007. Schultz received a $500 cash award during a ceremony this morning.
At 2:30 a.m. on March 16, 2007, Schultz stopped a Chevrolet Monte Carlo for running the stop light at Dickerson Pike and Trinity Lane. Police dog Balto conducted an open air check of the car and indicated the presence of drug odor. During her subsequent search of the center console, Schultz found 19 bags of Ecstasy pills which carried a street value in excess of $27,000. The driver of the car, Melvin Jerome Reed, admitted to selling the pills locally after he received them from an Atlanta supplier. At the time of this arrest, Reed was on parole for a felony drug conviction. He was sentenced to an additional 20 years this past July.
“Had Sergeant Schultz not conducted this traffic stop, this ex-convict and parolee would have continued dealing dope on the streets of our city,” Chief Ronal Serpas said. “It is alert police work like this that is making a difference in our neighborhoods.”
Other nominees for the first half of 2007 were Officer Corey Wall, Officer Jason Mayo, Sergeant Phil Vincion, Officer Greg Curtis, and Officer Edward Draves.
Outstanding police work by Officer Marty Reed that resulted in the arrest of a major dope dealer and the seizure of 500 pounds of marijuana has earned Reed the Judge John L. Draper Joint Nashville Police Odd Fellow Award for the second half of 2007. Reed also received a $500 cash award during this morning’s ceremony.
In August 2007, Officer Reed stopped a car for running the stop sign at North 2nd and Meridian Streets. The driver had information about neighborhood drug activity, which ultimately led to the arrest of Joseph Edward Fugh and the recovery of 500 pounds of marijuana from Fugh’s apartment at the Mission Brentwood complex on Enclave Circle. The marijuana had a wholesale value of at least $400,000.
Fugh was convicted of felony marijuana counts last June in Criminal Court and received a ten-year sentence.
“The outstanding work of Officer Reed and the East Precinct Flex Team took a significant marijuana distributor off the streets and greatly enhanced the safety of the persons who lived at the suspect's apartment complex,” Chief Ronal Serpas said.
Other nominees for the second half of 2007 were Officer Jacob Pilarski, Officer Paul Shipley, Officer Vincent Coates, Officer James Pearce and Officer Edwin Morales.
For 48 years, Nashville’s Odd Fellows Association has sponsored this award, which is given twice a year to an officer below the rank of lieutenant who makes an arrest of a person already wanted, or who makes a criminal case based on the original citing of a traffic law violator
Congratulating Sergeant Melissa Schultz and Officer Marty Reed (center of picture) are (l-r) Odd Fellows Association members Hilary Lingner, Bob Pritchett, James Terry, Chief Ronal Serpas, and Odd Fellows Association Members Patrick Wells and Joe Anderson.