Officer Jennifer “Rain” Nieddu of the Snellville Police Department joined nearly 20 individuals and groups also awarded for acts of bravery and service in the community.
Specifically, the Public Safety Person of the Year is “awarded to public safety professionals who have performed their jobs with exceptional skill, expertise, innovation and results. Community involvement both on and off the job should reflect favorably.”
According to her nomination letter for the award, Nieddu has been an exemplary employee for SPD since 2008. She was able to achieve even greater successes during her first full year as a Special Operations Officer in 2013 when she made 374 arrest charges. This included 22 felony drug arrests, 83 misdemeanor drug arrests and the apprehension of 31 fugitives. Nieddu stopped 1,068 vehicles for traffic infractions, issued 1,973 citations and handled 1,986 total calls for service. Nieddu also attended the majority of the monthly regional traffic enforcement networking meetings throughout the year.
“Based on all of what Officer Nieddu did throughout 2013 she was voted on by her peers as the 2013 Snellville Police Officer of the Year,” said Chief Roy Whitehead. “This was actually the second year in a row that Rain has won that honor with the Snellville Police Department. During 2013, Officer
Nieddu has demonstrated a true heart of service toward the public that she serves. We feel that for her actions in criminal patrol as well as public service she is well deserving of the nomination for Public Safety Officer of the Year in Gwinnett County.” Nieddu’s enforcement efforts only supplemented her excitement for public service and her passion for helping others as she volunteered for every major civic event held inside the city of Snellville.
Some of the events she participated in were:
•Tip a Cop fundraiser that raised money for the Citizen’s Police Academy
•Shop with a Cop program that allowed for children in need to receive Christmas gifts
•Snellville Public Safety Night where the public could have a one on one interaction with the police providing the citizens with safety advice
•Snellville Citizen’s Police Academy where she provided instruction on domestic violence calls as well as traffic enforcement
•Snellville Police Department’s Halloween costume contest where children were able to get a ride to school in a police car
•The Kids R Kids bicycle safety event
For more information on the Valor Awards, visit http://www.valorawards.com. Nieddu’s award comes on the heels of another one for the department, this time from the city’s Veteran of Foreign Wars post. Capt. Greg Perry was named VFW Officer of the Year for his efforts.
