Contact: Elaine Tricoli
Phone: (336) 373-2421

Mayo Selected as GPD ‘Officer of the Year’

GREENSBORO, NC – (May 16, 2008) – Greensboro police officer Rob Mayo has been selected as the agency’s Officer of the Year.

The award was presented during the Police and Citizen Appreciation Dinner on May 15, along with numerous other awards given to officers, residents and businesses who have assisted the Greensboro Police Department during the past year.

A sworn officer since 2002, Mayo is assigned to the Robbery Squad, a unit that also received an award for its exceptional work in solving a string of commercial robberies late last year. GPD Sgt. J.J. Sturm, who nominated Mayo for the award, said Mayo is a role model for other officers.

“Rob is an outstanding young man,” Sturm said. “He always presents himself and the department in a professional manner, and he has always maintained a high level of dedication to the Police Department and to the citizens of Greensboro.”

Mayo was selected for the award due, in part, to his keen attention to detail and his intuitive nature, both of which have helped lead to arrests.

On Sept. 24, 2007, Mayo was assigned to assist another officer after a local pizza shop was robbed at gunpoint. A witness gave officers a description of the vehicle and the license plate number, and before arriving at the restaurant, Mayo learned that the car was registered to an address in Charlotte. Sensing that the suspects would drive back to Charlotte, Mayo approached the scene using the most direct route from I-85 and quickly located the vehicle. Officers arrested the suspects and found money and weapons in their vehicle.

On Oct. 12, 2007, Mayo spotted a vehicle that officers believed had been used by a suspect who had committed a murder the day before. Although the driver did not match the description of the suspect, Mayo stopped the car and interviewed the driver. During his roadside interview, Mayo felt that the driver had information about the murder. He notified the lead detective, who followed up on Mayo’s hunch and made an arrest in the case.

Mayo has received several awards during his tenure with the GPD. He was the American Legion Police Officer of the Year in 2005 and received a Life Saving Award in 2006. Mayo was named the Southern Division Officer of the Month in September and October 2007.

Prior to working for the Police Department, Mayo worked for the Greensboro Fire Department, where he also received numerous commendations. He has been a member of the Guilford County Hazmat Team for more than three years, a member of the GPD’s Special Olympics committee, and a member of the department’s Peer Support Team.

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The City of Greensboro works in partnership with the community to build an increased quality of life for all residents by fostering an environment where inclusion, diversity, and trust are valued. As the seventh largest employer in Greensboro, the City has a dedicated professional staff of 2700 employees who maintain four core values of honesty, integrity, stewardship, and respect. The City of Greensboro is governed by a council-manager form of government where a mayor and eight council members act as the legislative body. For more information on the City of Greensboro, please visit us online at www.greensboro-nc.gov.