Tuscaloosa Exchange Club Presents Officer Of The Year Honors

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Five Tuscaloosa-area law enforcement officers were honored by the Tuscaloosa Exchange Club and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall on Thursday as part of the club's annual Officer of the Year awards.

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Here's a look at the honorees:

Timothy K. Kabiru

West Alabama Narcotics Task Force (Tuscaloosa Police Department)

Agent Kabiru has been a West Alabama Narcotics investigator for a year and a half and was referred to by Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley as "one of the most productive agents" and "a leader" in the unit.

Along with his top assignment in the Task Force, Kabiru can be found working the bike patrol and serving with the honor guard. He is also a certified radar and Taser instructor.

Blankley also said Kabiru is heavily relied on as a training agent for task force and has presented numerous drug-free classes to schools and the community throughout the year.

"Kabiru is always willing and available to answer any questions from other agents, and will volunteer to cover other agent's on-call when they need someone to fill in," Blankley wrote in his nomination. "So far this year, Agent Kabiru has arrested 211 defendants on 296 charges. He has also served 38 search warrants for illegal narcotics and recovered over 40 firearms ... Agent Kabiru's commitment to the community, the department, and his fellow officers is a shining example for others to follow."

Zane Cardwell

Deputy and paramedic with the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office

Cardwell began his career with the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office in November 2017, working on the patrol division since then.

Sheriff Ron Abernathy, in the nomination, pointed to one incident involving a vehicle entrapment that he said proves Deputy Cardwell is deserving of this award.

"There were two cars involved in a head on collision with two occupants in one car and one occupant in the other," Abernathy said. "The drivers did not survive, but a female passenger was still alive in critical condition. The vehicle she was trapped in required an extensive extrication."

Cardwell, along with the assistance of Carroll's Creek Volunteer Fire Department, used his extrication equipment to remove the driver's side of the roof and peeled it back in order to gain access to the female and provide medical attention.

"He then rode in the ambulance and assisted paramedics in keeping her stabilized while in route to DCH," Abernathy said. "Deputy Cardwell did a great job remaining calm, using his medical expense as a paramedic, and the tools he had with him to rescue the female from the car. Without Deputy Cardwell's quick decisions and use of his extrication equipment, the female may not have survived."

Abernathy then said not only is Cardwell credited with saving a life that day, but he has also consistently maintained a work ethic that brings honor to this profession.

"The past two years have presented new challenges as COVID has changed the way law enforcement performs its duties," the sheriff wrote. "Deputy Cardwell has continued to maintain the highest work ethic with selflessness in serving the citizens of Tuscaloosa County in a safe and respectful manner."

William Carpenter

Northport Police Department

Carpenter has worked as an officer with the Northport Police Department since November 2018 and is currently assigned to its patrol division. He also serves as a member of the NPD Tactical Unit and the department's Honor Guard.

Northport Police Chief Gerald Burton said Carpenter was nominated for showing a "great commitment" to the City of Northport and its citizens in his actions, especially in one instance last April.

"Officer Carpenter was dispatched to the scene of a vehicle crash," Burton said in the nomination. "Once on the scene, he, and other officers observed individuals entrapped in the vehicle, one of which was a child in the rear of the vehicle. After a brief struggle to break the window and remove the door, he devised a plan to remove the front passengers s0 that he could reach the entrapped child."

Burton explained that once they were able to reach the child, Carpenter noticed the child wasn't breathing and didn't have a pulse.

"He began CPR on the child for several minutes until he was exhausted and relieved by another officer," Burton said. "They then checked for a pulse and found the child breathing again."

Carpenter was also praised for his bravery on the night of a major flooding event that saw extensive damage across Northport, especially in the Willowbrook Trailer Park.

"He and other officers braved the waters to rescue trapped residents from the chest-high rising waters," Burton said. "He made several trips to carry residents to safety until he felt that he had gotten everyone out safely and only stopped after he was ordered to stop due to his safety and wellbeing at stake."

Chase Stanton

University of Alabama Police Department

Agent Chase Stanton works for the University of Alabama Police Department and is currently assigned to the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force.

As part of his responsibilities in the Task Force, he serves its Task Force Officer to the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

His nomination, submitted by UAPD Chief John Cooks, said Stanton's assignment requires him to work cases at both the state and federal level, quickly sharing information between the two agencies to combat illegal narcotics in Tuscaloosa County.

For instance, Stanton's work was at one point responsible for taking over $45,000 worth of illegal drugs off the street, netting a total of 273 total charges. This included working month's long investigations on two of Tuscaloosa's largest drug traffickers, resulting in both suspects being prosecuted at a federal level in separate cases.

Hooks said Stanton is relied upon as a leader in the unit, with agents often seeking out his expertise to improve their cases.

"It is not out of the ordinary for Attorney's from the District Attorney's Office to call Agent Stanton and ask for his opinion on cases," Hook said in the nomination. "Agent Stanton has also acted as a Training Officer to new agents in the unit. Throughout the last year Agent Stanton has maintained one of the highest case loads and has also investigated numerous cases that have been prosecuted federally."

Hooks also praised Stanton for his community involved, which includes giving presentations to schools and civic groups.

Paul Thompson

Alabama Law Enforcement Agency

Trooper Paul Thompson has been employed with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency for roughly two and a half years and was praised for consistently performing his duties in a commendable fashion.

He was nominated for his "excellent work ethic," being referred to as a self-motivated trooper focused on doing his part to improve highway safety and save lives.

"Trooper Thompson consistently performs above the average set by his peers in most areas of
activity," his nomination reads. "

In 2021, ALEA says Thompson investigated 105 accidents, initiated 987 enforcement actions and assisted 23 motorists. Of those enforcement actions, 14 were DUI arrests.

In addition to his routine duties, Thompson works as a drug recognition expert (DRE), teaches classes and recently became a DRE Instructor. He also investigated four traffic homicide Investigations and assisted on three others.

"Trooper Thompson is very professional and courteous when dealing with the public," his nomination says. "He presents an outstanding positive attitude towards his job and the mission of the department. Trooper Thompson is often called upon by Tuscaloosa Post supervisors for special details and other engagements. He is respected by his peers, helps them in any way he can and is an excellent role model for his coworkers."

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