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Tag: Devon Straight

Bradenton Beach police officers receive medals

Police officers receive medals for saving a life

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Police officers Devon Straight and Charles “Chuck” Marose received recognition last week for saving a life.

During the March 16 city commission meeting, Police Chief John Cosby presented Straight and Marose with lifesaving medals.

“It’s my honor to come before you today,” Cosby told the commission. “We’ll be presenting Officer Devon Straight and Officer Chuck Marose with a lifesaving medal. On Feb. 17, at approximately 6:09 p.m., both officers responded to a 62-year-old male who was found lying on the sidewalk in the 1900 block of Gulf Drive. Once they arrived, some people that were there were already doing CPR. They took over the CPR and they used one of our AEDs (automated external defibrillator) to bring the gentleman back. He was transported to Blake and a few days later he was released and he went back to Georgia.”

Cosby then stressed the importance of providing officers with the training and equipment they need to do their jobs.

“I keep telling you: Training and equipment. This is a perfect example of it being used appropriately and it saved somebody’s life,” Cosby said.

Included in the meeting packet was a memo that Straight sent Cosby on Feb. 20.

Bradenton Beach police officers receive medals
Police Chief John Cosby presented Officer Devon Straight with his medal. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

In his written description of the events that transpired that evening, Straight noted “Officer Marose then took it upon himself to check on the patient’s condition later that same night and was advised the patient had been stabilized and should recover.”

Bradenton Beach police officers receive medals
Police Chief John Cosby presented Officer Charles Marose with his medal. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Straight’s memo also included the following assessment: “I believe the quick implementation of CPR from bystanders and officers was critical to the patient’s survival before EMS could arrive, and the added benefit of having a readily available department-issued AED on-scene made our critical lifesaving efforts twice as effective.”

Devon Straight named Officer of the Year

Devon Straight named Officer of the Year

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Devon Straight is the Bradenton Beach Police Department’s Officer of the Year.

“I’ve prepared for my law enforcement career for as long as I can remember and I’m more than honored to receive this award. I thank my department for the opportunity and my family for their support. I’m proud to serve with devotion the community I grew up in,” Straight said of the award.

Straight was 19 when he was hired by the Bradenton Beach Police Department in November 2018, making him the youngest officer ever hired by the department.
The award nomination letter written by Police Chief Sam Speciale details why Straight won the award.

“On 07/29/2019, Officer Devon Straight was on patrol. Officer Straight was given information referencing a known burglar seen in the city walking around and possibly prowling to do more vehicle burglaries. Officer Straight was patrolling one of the condos in the city and immediately recognized the known burglar walking in the parking garage which the known burglar did not live at or have any reason to be on the premises,” the nomination letter says.

“Upon the suspect seeing Officer Straight, the suspect quickly left the parking garage and walked across the street. Officer Straight acted as if he was leaving the area but kept an eye on the suspect through his rearview mirror. Officer Straight observed the suspect walk back into the parking garage. Officer Straight turned around and saw the suspect in the pool area. The owner of the condos told Officer Straight he spoke with a male earlier and felt the male was acting suspiciously. Apparently, when confronted by the owner, the suspect gave the owner false information,” Speciale’s letter says.

“The suspect was found in an employees’ only supply closet. The suspect was detained and after looking at surveillance video it showed the suspect walking into the parking garage, casing the parking area and walking between vehicles where the suspect had no reason to be.

“The suspect was arrested for burglary to a structure and several other charges. If it hadn’t been for Officer Straight paying attention to the information given to him about the suspect, and his initiative of patrolling the resorts, the city of Bradenton Beach would have possibly had several crimes committed by this suspect. Therefore, the Bradenton Beach Police Department is proud to announce Officer Devon Straight as the Officer of the Year,” Speciale’s letter says.

Family tradition

Straight has wanted to be a police officer for most of his life. He is the grandson of Bradenton Beach residents Ed and Gail Straight, the founders and curators of Wildlife Inc. Education and Rehabilitation Center, where Devon has long served as a volunteer.

Ed Straight served several terms as a Bradenton Beach City Commissioner. He spent nine years as a paramedic for Manatee County Emergency Medical Services, 13 years as EMS chief and seven years as the chief of the county’s Emergency Communications/911 center. He also served for more than two decades as a reserve deputy with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

“It’s always nice when you’re doing a job and your supervisors notice it. The best compliment of all is being able to use good judgment, and these days, not everybody is capable of doing that. People who use good judgment tend to eventually end up in leadership roles,” Ed Straight said.

“Devon’s work with us at Wildlife Inc. helped him stay on the right path. It’s really important when you’re doing rehabs and rescues that you pay close attention to detail. I think that carries over into Devon’s police work. We’re quite proud of him. He did well at school, he did well at the police academy and he knew all along that if he wanted to be in law enforcement, he had to keep a good, clean record,” Ed Straight said. “In these times we are in, we are of course concerned about law enforcement, but we know Devon will use good judgment in whatever situation he encounters.”

BB Officer Straight

Devon Straight joins Bradenton Beach Police Department

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Nineteen-year-old Devon Straight is Bradenton Beach’s newest police officer.

He was sworn in on Thursday morning, Nov. 15, then introduced to the City Commission at its noon meeting. He began his field training this weekend.

Devon is the grandson of former City Commissioner Ed Straight. He’s also the youngest officer hired during Police Chief Sam Speciale’s 30-plus-year tenure with the city.

When introducing Devon to the commission, Speciale said, “When I first got here everybody said to me, ‘You’re Joe Speciale’s son.’ It took a lot of years for someone to go up to him and say, ‘You’re Sam Speciale’s dad.’ Devon grew up in the shadow of Mr. Straight – a commissioner, a sheriff’s deputy, EMS chief and all that – and people will say, ‘You’re Ed Straight’s grandson.’ After a few years, he’ll be driving around and they’ll say, ‘Hey Ed, aren’t you Devon’s grandfather?’ He’ll be driving car #2, one of the new SUVs, so when you see him driving around wave to him.”

Mayor John Chappie joked that Devon might stick around long enough to be the police chief someday.

BB Officer Straight II
Former commissioner Ed Straight joined his grandson Devon at Thursday’s commission meeting. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Devon has spent much of his life thus far working with his grandparents, Ed and Gail Straight, rescuing and caring for injured, sick and displaced wildlife at the Bradenton Beach-based Wildlife Inc. Education and Rehabilitation Center.

“I couldn’t ask for a better place to work, right on the beach. I already know most everybody in the community from my work with Wildlife Inc. I’m proud to serve in a different capacity. I spent my life saving animals, now I get to use my talents to save peoples’ lives,” Devon said of his new job with the police department.

He received his law enforcement training at the Manatee Technical College. He started in January and graduated in June.

BB Officer Straight Flashback
Three-year-old Devon Straight and his grandfather Ed Straight, shown here in 2002. – Gail Straight | Submitted

When asked why he wanted to be a police officer, Devon said, “I’m following my grandfather’s footsteps. He was a reserve sheriff’s deputy for Manatee County. Ever since then he’s inspired me and I thought it was the coolest job. To be in a uniform and go out and saves lives has always been my dream.”

Devon will continue to volunteer at Wildlife Inc. as his new work schedule allows.

“I’m sure my days off will go to good use with them,” he said.

“We’re very proud of him,” Ed said. “Considering all the different things that can happen to kids and grandkids nowadays, working with the wildlife helped him stay on the right track. He got the Anne Frank Humanitarian Award from Bayshore High School during his junior year for his work with the wildlife.

BB Officer Straight Sworn
Devon Straight was sworn in as the city’s newest officer by City Clerk Terri Sanclemente. – Ed Straight | Submitted

“I told him to do his best at the academy because people are always going to look back on how well you did with your training. We’re proud that he came really close to coming in first at the academy. He missed it by just a few points. On the state board exam he did get the highest score in his class. His class started out with 24 people and ended up with 12 people graduating, so it was a tough class to make it through. His teacher said, ‘He’s not a quitter,’ so we’re proud of him,” Ed said.

When asked about the hiring, Speciale said, “We looked at our applications and we thought it would be good to have a new guy right out of the academy.”