Quick take
- The 47th annual banquet was held Thursday at First United Methodist Church’s Cabe Center. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin spoke.
- Texarkana, Arkansas, Mayor Allen Brown and Texarkana, Texas, Mayor Bob Bruggeman presented the awards, Texarkana Today reported.
- Honorees came from both cities’ police and fire departments, the Miller and Bowie County sheriff’s offices, Texas DPS, Arkansas State Police and LifeNet.
- Each received a bronze eagle trophy and a gift basket.
Nine first responders from both Texarkanas were named 2026 Public Safety Officers of the Year on Thursday at the Rotary Clubs of Texarkana’s 47th annual Public Safety Officer Appreciation Banquet, Texarkana Today reported. The lunch was held at First United Methodist Church’s Cabe Center, and Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin was the speaker.
Texarkana, Arkansas, Mayor Allen Brown and Texarkana, Texas, Mayor Bob Bruggeman presented the awards. Each honoree received a bronze eagle trophy and a gift basket.
The 2026 honorees
- Texarkana Arkansas Fire Department: Capt. Shane Richardson, who retired Sept. 30 after a 28-year career
- Texarkana Arkansas Police Department: Officer Daniel Rojas, honored for subduing a woman who resisted arrest in January while protecting her infant, the Texarkana Gazette reported
- Miller County Sheriff’s Office: Detective Jeremy Poole
- Texarkana Texas Fire Department: Assistant Chief Chuck Weerts, the department’s assistant fire chief and fire marshal, with more than 30 years in the fire service
- Texarkana Texas Police Department: Officer Jacob Miramontes, a patrol officer and field training officer who the department says answered more than 1,500 calls this year
- Bowie County Sheriff’s Office: Deputy Brandon Grubbs
- Texas Department of Public Safety: Trooper Colten Johnson, who DPS says found and helped save a person swept into floodwaters in Cass County in June
- Arkansas State Police: Trooper Zane Butler of Troop G
- LifeNet: Desteni Gamble
“To get to honor this group of people who often never get honored and don’t get the recognition they deserve is really special,” banquet committee member Landon Forbes told the Gazette.
The banquet was founded by Rotarian Cecil Phillips. The Oaklawn, Wilbur Smith, Sunrise and International Rotary clubs led the opening of the program.