Transcript Staff Writer

Norman's uniformed public servants -- police, firefighters and paramedics -- were honored for their service to the community Thursday night at the Norman Crime Stoppers 2007-2008 Public Safety Awards ceremony.

The theme of the event was best expressed by District Attorney Greg Mashburn in presenting awards to public servants: "Thank you for the things you do and the difference you make."

About 300 people gathered for the banquet at Journey Church, honoring the award recipients.

Mashburn presented the district attorney's office's Law Enforcement Officers of the Year award to Norman Police detectives Jose Chavez and Tony Riddles, for their work with the police department's child victims unit.

"(Chavez and Riddles) are tenacious when it comes to investigating child abuse -- tenacious because they care," Mashburn said.

Chavez and Riddles attributed their success to the "multi-disciplinary team effort" at Mary Abbott Children's House. The United Way agency, established in 1996, offers coordinated investigation and intervention services to child abuse victims and their non-offending family members in a child-friendly location.

Rhett Burnett, an investigator with the Cleveland County District Attorney's Office, was presented with the Wayne Martin Memorial Award for his work with the Mary Abbott Children's House-Child Abuse Response -- Treatment Team.

Burnett expressed gratitude to God, his wife and family, and said he was "honored to accept the award" named after Martin, whom Burnett met at church, he said.

The award is named in honor of veteran Norman police detective Wayne Martin, who was driving to Arkansas for a family reunion May 26, 2002, when an Interstate 40 bridge crossing the Arkansas River collapsed, killing Martin, Martin's wife Susan and 12 others.

Norman Police Chief Phil Cotten presented the Police Officer of the Year award to Detective Steve Lowe for Lowe's "outstanding performance."

Lowe cleared 75 percent of the cases assigned to him, Cotten said, including 10 car burglaries and 10 residential burglaries.

"That (75 percent) is amazing when compared with national statistics," Cotten said.

Norman Fire Chief James Fullingim presented the Firefighter of the Year award to firefighter Eric Spor.

"He has a passion for the rescue aspect of the job," Fullingim said.

In presenting the award, Fullingim commended Spor's "good attitude, willingness, dedication and loyalty."

Others receiving public service awards included Sgt. Eric Grubbs, the University of Oklahoma Police Department's Police Officer of the Year award; Investigator Dana Guthrie, Cleveland County Sheriff's Department's Investigator of the Year award; and Paramedic Lee McWhorter, the EMSStat-Norman Regional Health System's Paramedic of the Year award.

Two scholarships also were awarded to dependents of public safety personnel employed in Cleveland County. Billy McCawley III was this year's recipient of the John Dutch Memorial Scholarship, named for the late John Dutch, Norman's fire chief of 14 years. Mara Post was awarded the Steve Cain Memorial Scholarship, in honor of the former Norman Police Department captain.

Chamber member Kristi Cain, who works coordinating the event each year, called the awards banquet "a great opportunity for the Chamber of Commerce and the community to honor the officers who work throughout the year serving and protecting our community."

Alex Cameron and Melissa Maynarich, KWTV-9 co-anchors, served as emcees for the event.

Tom Blakey 366-3540 tblakey@normantranscript.com