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Staff Writer Kevin Reid - The Thomasville Police Department (TPD) promoted four officers Tuesday in a ceremony at City Hall. Ronnie Phillips was promoted to the rank of major, Timothy Driggers was promoted to captain, Mark Kattner was promoted to lieutenant and Toby Smith was promoted to sergeant.
This is a great day and a monumental occasion for the police department,” said TPD Chief Ronald Bratton, who noted that it was the first promotion ceremony he had presided over since he assumed the leadership of the department.
“I feel very good about my selections,” Bratton continued. “I know these officers will do a good job.
Phillips, a Thomasville native, has been with TPD for 28 years. He is a graduate of Thomasville High School , Davidson County Community College (DCCC), Guilford College and the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy. The major has been assigned as commander of the Operations Division, which includes patrol and criminal investigations.
“Major Phillips has been a long-time officer here,” Bratton said. “He does a good job, and it’s a well-deserved promotion.”
Phillips said, “I look forward to assuming command of the patrol division, venturing from the administration wing.”
Driggers is another long-time employee of the police department, having been with TPD for 26 years. The DCCC graduate and former Thomasville Jaycees Young Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer of the Year (1983), has served as vice president of the North Carolina Internal Affairs Investigators Association. He now serves TPD as Captain of Services.
“It feels wonderful to be promoted; it’s a big step in my career,” Driggers said. “ I’d like to thank Chief Bratton for his confidence in me and my family for putting up with me during this whole promotional process.”
Bratton said, “Capt. Driggers is a well disciplined, well trained officer,”
Kattner, a veteran of the Greensboro and High Point police departments has been with TPD for nine years. He is a graduate of Guilford Technical Community College.
“I love it,” Kattner said of being promoted from sergeant to lieutenant. “I’m glad to finally move on up and show what I can do.”
Bratton already has faith in what Kattner can do at a higher level.
“Mark Kattner’s been one of the best sergeants I had,” Bratton said. “He’s a key member of my tactical team and a very proficient investigator. I think he’ll do a good job as a lieutenant.”
Smith, a graduate of Pfeiffer University , joined TPD in 1994 and has spent five years in the department’s Criminal Investigations Division.
“It feels great,” Smith said of his promotion. “I’m hoping I can do the citizens and the police department proud.”
Bratton appears confident that he will.
“Toby will do a good job out there,” Bratton said of his new sergeant.
Mayor Joe Bennett, City Councilmen George Burton and Raleigh York, City Manager Kelly Craver and Larry Murdock, TPD’s retired chief, and other local dignitaries attended the ceremony.
“I think the chief made the right selections for these officers,” said Burton , whose position on the council includes director of public safety. “These people have been performing their jobs well.”
Bennett swore the new officers into their respective ranks.
“I am very proud of you police officers and other city employees for what you accomplish to make this a good place to live,” the Thomasville mayor told the gathering. “I thank you for it on behalf of the citizens of the town.”
Craver noted the changeover in city staffing — including his and Bratton’s positions — when he spoke at the ceremony.
“Our current staff has certainly earned a special place in my heart, because this current staff has gone through the most any Thomasville municipal staff has gone through in probably the last 150 years,” Craver said.
The city had offered a retirement-incentive package to employees, which led several city employees to retire. Murdock and Roger Bryant, the previous Thomasville city manager, both retired on Jan. 1, 2006 . Bratton and Craver filled both positions, respectively.
“In the last 18 months, the city has a new city manager, a new police chief, a new city clerk, a new planning director, nine new firefighters, four new police officers and yesterday, we promoted four veteran policemen,” Craver pointed out during a follow-up interview on Wednesday. “In a very short period we’ve had a large change in the leadership of the town. We’ve had what I consider to be a generational change.”
“The economic problems that our town is facing has caused us to make significant changes in the way we operate,” Craver continued. “We are trying to do more with less people. We have suffered pain, but we’ve come out stronger. Now, we’re going forward.”
Staff Writer Kevin Reid can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 230, or at reid@tvilletimes.com
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