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FARMVILLE – After a year of hard work and getting involved in the community, Corporal Rachel Herndon was named the Officer of the Year for the Farmville Police Department.

Each year, the officers and command staff of the Farmville Police Department vote for the Officer of the Year Award. As many officers do a variety of notable tasks throughout the year, only one can win the award. In light of her hard work on new community programs and new operations this past year, Herndon’s peers chose her to be the recipient for 2022. 

“To be the recipient of Officer of the Year was a shock because everyone in my department had gone the extra mile to make a safer and more secure community,” said Herndon. 

Even though Herndon pushes herself every day to be the best officer she can be and find new ways to serve the community, she was not expecting to be chosen for this award. According to Herndon, the Farmville Police Department as a whole took an extra initiative to be in the community more this past year, especially with the First Responders Day she organized in June.

“We work as a team in this profession, and for my department to feel like I deserved to be Officer of the year, that was truly an honor,” she said. “I just come to work and try to do the best job I can and protect the ones who need help. I believe that this department really works together on a daily basis to serve the community and we really take pride in what we do.”

Rachel Herndon talks about her background

Herndon has been in law enforcement since June 2017. She became interested in the profession when she was in college because she wanted to do something to get involved in the community. She didn’t consider law enforcement at first, but she was interested in a job where she wasn’t doing the same thing every day. Now, she proudly serves as a patrol officer in a fast-paced environment where she can make her community a better place. 

“I just want to thank the community for being supportive of our department,” said Herndon.