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By KRISTEN JOHNSON
The Thomasville Times
Thomasville police officer Cheryl Taylor was honored with a Governor’s Award for Excellence Oct. 28 during the State Workforce Development banquet in Greensboro
“The leadership [of the people honored at this banquet] is instrumental in increasing our citizens’ opportunities for a better quality of life,’ Gov. Mike Easley said in a written statement. “Their perseverance is critical to our work in building one North Carolina, where every citizen in every region has the opportunity to succeed.”
Honored along with Taylor were four other individuals and two companies from across the state.
Taylor was awarded the Governor’s award for Outstanding Workforce Development Adults. Also honored in that category was John Shaw of Sanford.
Mary Coley of LaGrange and Jamey Gaddy of Pleasant Garden were named Outstanding Workforce Development Youths, while Angela Moore of Greenville was awarded the Wayne Daves Award for outstanding achievement in workforce development.
Companies honored were the Cherry Point Naval Air Depot and Laurinburg’s Service Thread Manufacturing Co.
Taylor was nominated for the award by the Davidson County Job Training and Employment Center (JETC) and the county Workforce Development Board.
A Dream
Taylor had always wanted to be a police officer.
A single mother of three – one daughter and two foster children – she was laid off from a local manufacturing plant and forced into unemployment.
But with the help of JTEC, Taylor was able to take courses to prepare her again for the rigors of the classroom and begin a rigorous physical fitness program.
In July, 2003 Taylor enrolled in the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program at Davidson County Community College, with funding assistance from the WIA Dislocated Worker Program.
She wsa sworn as the first black female Thomasville police officer on Dec. 26, 2003 – exactly one year after having lost her origional job.
Taylor now earns approximately 30 percent more than she did in her previous job.
“Her chief, Larry Murdock, calls her one of his most caring and conscientious officers,” JTEC counselor Lisa Horne said during July’s county Workforce Development Board awards luncheon. “She was one of the top students in her class, and excelled at whatever she did.
“Her desire made her do it, and do it well.”
“JTEC made it possible to do what I had wanted to do since I was 14,” Taylor said. “I’m more thankful than I can say.”
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