By Brian Trompeter
A long-serving police sergeant with a successful track record of hiring recruits and an emergency medical technician (EMT) who has contributed in many ways to the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department received kudos April 19 from the Rotary Club of Vienna.
The club gave its 2022 Rotarian M. Jane Seeman Service Above Self Awards to Vienna police Sgt. James Sheeran and EMT-B (Basic) John Hoebler during a luncheon at Westwood Country Club. The club renamed the awards after Vienna’s former mayor, who belonged to the organization until her death in 2014.
Vienna police Capt. Arturo “Art” Sylmar nominated Sheeran, a 23-year veteran of the department, for the award. In addition to working in and doing supervision in the department’s patrol division, Sheeran spent about two years working for the agency’s Criminal Investigations Section (CIS), where he did internal-affairs investigations, hired new officers and supervised investigators.
Sheeran is an exemplary employee who always is willing to lend a hand and never turns down a new assignment, Sylmar wrote.
“Sgt. Sheeran approaches all of his duties with enthusiasm, dedication and professionalism,” his nomination letter read.
Sheeran’s hiring efforts especially have been successful, given the aggressive competition between the region’s law-enforcement agencies for new officers, Sylmar wrote.
“However, in the face of this adversity and while carrying out his other duties, Sgt. Sheeran managed to screen hundreds of applicants and hired 10 new police officers during his tenure in CIS,” which equates to about half of the Vienna Police Department’s patrol personnel, according to the nomination letter.
“Sgt. Sheeran’s hiring accomplishment is a feat that has not been achieved in the recent history of our police department,” Sylmar wrote.
The other Service Above Self Award recipient, EMT John Hoebler, joined the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department in July 2021 and exceeded expectations during his probationary period, department officials said in their nominating letter. Hoebler became a certified EMT-B and joined three administrative committees, which is two more than the minimum, officials said.
Last year, Hoebler helped with the department’s first-ever Field House Golf Classic, chaired the nominations committee for the organization’s yearly elections and contributed mightily to renovation efforts of the fire station’s upstairs hall, they wrote.
The hall for years had not been reaching its potential as a rental space. Hoebler participated in a subcommittee that researched possible options for the renovations and eventually led the Hall Rental Committee. Hoebler since has updated the department’s Website, registered with lead-generating Websites and booked more rentals of the facility, officials wrote.
Hoebler in 2022 logged more than 680 hours of volunteer time with the department, placing him in the top 10 out of 100 active members, according to his nomination letter. The department requires a minimum of 240 hours per year from operational members and, on average, people contribute 320 hours, they wrote.
“The Vienna community, volunteers within our department and career personnel have all received tremendous benefits from John’s selfless service,” officials said.
