The Moore County Law Enforcement Officers Association announced the recipients of the James W. Wise Police Officer of the Year Award.
Southern Pines Police Officers Jason Perry and Sean Lowery, working together as an investigative team, were selected to be the recipients of the James W. Wise Police Officer of the Year Award for 2018.
Officers Perry and Lowery are assigned to the Southern Pines Police Department’s Investigation Division, whose primary responsibilities are focused on narcotics investigations, in addition to the investigation of major crimes occurring in Southern Pines.
Officers Perry and Lowery concluded a year long narcotics investigation which became known as “Operation Leader.” The combined efforts of Officers Perry and Lowery led to the federal indictment of multiple members of a local drug trafficking organization identified as the Dope Boy(s) Clique, aka “DBC.”
At the conclusion of this investigation, over twenty kilograms of cocaine, two pounds of methamphetamine, five ounces of heroin, six firearms and over $80,000 were seized.
In addition to multiple members of the DBC drug trafficking organization being charged and sentenced on the state level in North Carolina, four members of the DBC gang, along with one Mexican national supplier were indicted on federal charges. All five suspects indicted federally stand to receive lengthy sentences in federal prison.
The Police Officer of the Year Award is in honor of James Wilson Wise, who served as the Moore County Sheriff from 1981 to 1997 and also was the former Chief of Police for the Pinehurst Police Department.
The James W. Wise award is presented annually to recognize a law enforcement officer, or officers in Moore County who has exemplified the virtues of professionalism, dedicated service to our citizens and who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to better serve our citizens.
“It takes passion to serve citizens that an officer has taken an oath to protect,” said Moore County Law Enforcement Officers Association President Bob Temme. “Officers need to believe that they can, and do make a difference. As the Chief of the Southern Pines Police Department and the President of the Moore County Law Enforcement Officers Association, I can assure you that Officers Jason Perry and Sean Lowery have an unwavering dedication to public service that changes lives and betters our communities every single day.”
