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The Sgt. Wallace J. Mowbray Memorial Award, honoring the top police officer in Queen Anne’s County, is traditionally presented in May. Due to the pandemic in 2020, that award was not presented for 2019.

Considering all that happened in 2020, the Centreville Rotary committee that selects the honoree chose to honor all local law enforcement agencies that serve Queen Anne’s County rather than an individual this year. Representatives for six different law enforcement agencies that serve in Queen Anne’s County attended the ceremony. They included the Centreville Police Department, Maryland State Police Centreville Barracks, Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office, Queen Anne’s County Detention Center, Maryland Natural Resources Police and Maryland Transportation Authority Police.

Centreville Rotary President Katherine Hager, who is also Queen Anne’s County Clerk of the Circuit Court, welcomed all who attended the early morning ceremony in the multi-purpose room at Centreville United Methodist Church. She recognized Rotarian Harold Reece, former Maryland State Police officer and Past Centreville Rotary president, who has served as chairman of the Mowbray Award committee. Reece is recovering from recent knee surgery and attended the ceremony via Zoom. Reece spoke briefly, thanking all the law enforcement officers for their continued dedication and service.

Hager explained the origin of the Mowbray Award, first awarded in 1976 by Centreville Rotary, the year after Mowbray died in the line of duty in August 1975.

Hager said, “Given all the major challenges that we all faced with the coronavirus pandemic, it was decided that we would not recognize just one individual with this award, rather all area law enforcement officers. We all agree that the year of 2020 was a year like no other in our lifetime . . . our law enforcement were still in our community doing their jobs of protecting us with the utmost integrity as they always do.�

She added, “Today, we enjoy the freedoms and security, as well as the peaceful way of life we enjoy here in Queen Anne’s County because of brave men and women like you that are here to protect us .... Rotary’s motto is: ‘Service Above Self,’ and you do that each and every day .... You all go above and beyond the call of duty for our community, You are appreciated for your service.�

Hager then called each law enforcement unit up to receive the Mowbray Award Certificate of Appreciation. Those present, receiving the award: from the Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Gary Hofmann, Major Dwayne Boardman, Captain Chris Amoia, Lt. Mark Meil and Lt. Duke Johnston; from Maryland State Police, Sgt. Brian Gill; from NRP, Cpl. Antonio “Tony� Junta; from MDTA Police, Captain Glend McGuire Jr. and Major Ronce Alford; from the Queen Anne’s County Detention Center, Warden LaMonte Cooke; and from Centreville Police, Cpl. Charles “Chuck� Harris.

Some of the representatives spoke briefly following the award presentations.

Johnston was complimentary of the public who were caught in a traffic shut down two weekends ago when U.S. Route 50 on Kent Island closed for four hours due to a wanted person who was stopped in Chester, just off Cox Neck Road.

Johnston said, “Many people called out to us, asking if they could go get us food while the situation was going on. There was one person who returned with at least $50 worth of breakfast foods for us. We didn’t ask them to do that, but, it was inspiring that, even though they were stuck in traffic, they were more interested in thinking about our comfort.�

A couple officers mentioned that 2020 had been a “difficult time for all law enforcement nationally,� making their jobs more challenging. “We’re happy we live and work in Queen Anne’s County� was the consensus.

Light breakfast items were provided for all who attended the ceremony. Everyone wore face masks inside the church building except when each group came forward to receive the award. Once the awards were presented, the face masks went back on immediately, indicating the pandemic is still going on.