The Kannapolis Police Department recently held its annual awards ceremony. Several members of the Kannapolis Police Department were honored with the department’s most prestigious awards, recognizing their outstanding service and performance in support of residents and fellow police officers.

Officer Jody Kerr was presented with the Roger Dale Carter Memorial Service Award, given in memory of Kannapolis Police Officer Carter, who died in the line of duty on December 31, 1993.  This award is presented annually to a sworn officer who has demonstrated exceptional service to residents and his peers and whose character and integrity exemplify the highest ideals of law enforcement.

Jody joined the Kannapolis Police Department in 2023 after having served as a Captain with the Kannapolis Fire Department. Officer Kerr has received many commendations for his enthusiasm, positive outlook, and dedication to the department. His supervisors noted that he has an exceptional reputation for honesty and integrity and daily models the department’s core values.

He is a graduate of South Rowan High School. He and his wife, Lisa, have two sons – Jeffery and Justin.

Records Specialist Susan Martin was awarded the Norma C. Howard Memorial Service Award. Norma Howard was the first female and full-time civilian police employee in Kannapolis. She played a pivotal role in establishing the city’s records management system. This award is presented annually to a civilian police department employee who conducts both their personal and professional lives in a manner that is consistent with the department’s values and code of ethics.
Susan began her career with the Kannapolis Police Department in 2003 as a telecommunicator and transferred to the Records Division in 2024. She is responsible for maintaining all department records related to investigations, ensuring that all reports are submitted accurately, and interacting with citizens who request reports and information daily.

She is a graduate of A.L. Brown High School. She has studied at NC State University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC). She is the daughter of James and Brenda Haney and has two sons, Jacob and Grayson.

Officer Andrew Brouillette was presented with the Rookie of the Year Award. The Rookie of the Year Award is presented annually to a sworn or civilian employee who has been employed with the Police Department for less than three years and who demonstrates a strong work ethic, positive attitude, and willingness to work cooperatively. He played an instrumental role in coordinating with other law enforcement agencies to uncover a ring of shoplifting suspects who were stealing high-end Lego sets.

Andrew was sworn into the department in 2022.  He graduated from Northwest Cabarrus High School and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC). He is the son of Timothy and Alicia.

Officer Austin Purser was presented with the Traffic Safety Award. This award is presented annually to the sworn employee who has made a significant impact in improving highway and traffic safety in Kannapolis. Officer Purser was sworn into the department in 2022. He holds an Intermediate Law Enforcement Certificate, is a certified Drug Recognition Expert, and recently received a MADD DWI Enforcer Award for his 88 DWI arrests in 2024.

Austin is a graduate of Piedmont High School and holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Mars Hill University. He is the son of Richard and April and is married to Brookelynn.

Officer John Cramer was awarded the Team Above Self Award. This award is presented to the officer who consistently demonstrates a high level of teamwork and always prioritizes the needs of the agency, squad, team, and shift over their own. Officer Cramer joined the department in 2018 and achieved the rank of Master Police Officer in 2024. He is a member of the Crisis/Hostage Negotiator Unit, Honor Guard, and CERT. He is a certified Cellebrite Analyst and is a member of the NC ICAC Task Force.

John is a graduate of A.L. Brown High School. He and his wife, Kaili, have three children: Landon, Myles, and Sadie.

Sergeant Chris Hamilton was awarded the Leadership Award. This award is presented annually to the supervisor, whether sworn or civilian, who best exemplifies the leadership traits that further the department’s mission.

Sergeant Hamilton began his career with the Kannapolis Police Department in 2004 and was designated as a Master Police Officer in 2013. He is a past recipient of the Police Star and the Roger Dale Carter Memorial Service Award.

He is a graduate of South Rowan High School. Chris and his wife, Elizabeth, have a daughter, a son-in-law, and a grandson.

Commendations were also presented to the following officers and staff for excellent work completed in the last year:

• Medal of Valor – Brooks Jones, Caleb Tate, and Jacob Huneycutt
• Individual Commendation – Matt Hoehman, Alan Galyan, Lanie Untz, Laura Smith, Alex Quigley, and Arthur Reid
• Life-Saving Award – Ataurus Tennyson, Brandon Shue, Hunter Wood, Denver Scaggs, and William Wheat
• Unit Commendation – (Patrol Squad B): Jason Hinson, Chris Hamilton, Hunter Wood, Samantha Pettit, Michael Armstrong, Christopher Turner, Brandon Shue, Travis Smith, Devin M. Steele; (Communications Squad B): Megan Baker, Lanie Untz, Shannon Campbell, Monserat Salazar; (Patrol Squad A: David Zienka, Dale Burris, Alan Galyan, Zachary Johnson, Noah Norfleet, Evan Anderson, Andrew Brouillette, Jordan Young, Robert A. Carson
• Individual Commendation: (Relief Efforts to Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene) – Jamie Livengood, Justin Smith, Keith Benfield, Dale Burris, Ramsey Nimer, Brett Wilhelm, Megan Baker, Nathan Lambert, Gaspar Ruiz Jr., John Cramer, Chase Crowe, David Flynn, Cody Franklin, Glenn Tingen, Sam Small Jr., Hannah Nall, Austin Purser, Devin Steele, Andrew Brouillette, Alan Galyan, Jody Kerr, Samantha Pettit, Christopher Turner