VIDEO: DSP Name 2025 Trooper of the Year & Professional Staff of the Year
Delaware State Police Professional Staff of the Year, Reverend Jeffrey Miller, Sr / 2025 Trooper of the Year, Cpl Robert Prettyman / Image courtesy DSP
Last week Delaware State Police honored their 2025 Trooper of the Year and Professional Staff of the Year recipients. The 2025 Trooper of the Year comes from Troop 5 in Bridgeville – Cpl Robert Prettyman – who was chosen from twelve nominees for his outstanding character and integrity and whose actions or performance significantly exceeded expectations during the calendar year. Professional Staff of the Year is Revered Jeffrey Miller, Sr, who is assigned to Troop 2 and also serves as a Chaplain for the division.
Additional information from the DSP:
The Delaware State Police announced the recipients of the 2025 Trooper of the Year and Professional Staff of the Year Awards during a ceremony on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. To highlight the importance of the event, notable attendees included Governor Matt Meyer, Chief Deputy Attorney General Dan Logan, Department of Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Joshua Bushweller, Colonel William D. Crotty, and Sergeant Shawn Doherty, President of the Delaware State Troopers Association, who all offered congratulatory remarks.
Trooper of the Year
The Delaware State Police Trooper of the Year is awarded annually to one sworn employee who is recognized by their peers as having outstanding character and integrity and whose actions or performance significantly exceeded expectations during that calendar year.
From the twelve nominees, Colonel Crotty and the Executive Staff selected Corporal Robert Prettyman as the 2025 Trooper of the Year for his exceptional efforts and contributions to the Division and the citizens of the State of Delaware.
Trooper of the Year Nominees
- Trooper First Class Colin Osler – Troop 1
- Detective Justin Adams – Troop 2 Criminal Investigations Unit
- Trooper First Class Jonathan Lado – Troop 2 Patrol
- Detective Brandon Yencer – Troop 3 Criminal Investigations Unit
- Trooper First Class Jacob Pangle – Troop 3 Patrol
- Detective Heidi Lingo – Troop 4 Criminal Investigations Unit
- Trooper First Class Brian Nieto – Troop 4 Patrol
- Corporal Robert Prettyman – Troop 5
- Corporal/1 Matthew “Ty” Snook – Troop 6
- Corporal/1 Ryan Nowakowski – Troop 7
- Corporal Emanuel Velez – Troop 9
- Detective Michael Macauley – Headquarters
Professional Staff of the Year
The Delaware State Police Professional Staff of the Year is awarded annually to one employee whose service with the Delaware State Police has been outstanding throughout the course of that calendar year.
From the eleven nominees, Colonel Crotty and the Executive Staff selected Revered Jeffrey A. Miller, Sr. as the 2025 Professional Staff of the Year. Reverend Miller is assigned to Troop 2 and also serves as a Chaplain for the division.
Professional Staff of the Year Nominees
- Ms. Mayra Cruz-Chavez – Victim Services
- Ms. Ashleigh Haines – State Bureau of Identification
- Ms. Sonia Jonas – Troop 3
- Mr. Barry Laise – KENTCOM
- Ms. Kerry-Gene Lussier – Information Technology
- Reverend Jeffrey A. Miller, Sr. – Troop 2
- Ms. Heather Neeld – RECOM
- Ms. Donna Newth-Showell – Troop 6
- Mr. Schyler Outten – SUSCOM
- Ms. Nicole Sund – Delaware Information Analysis Center
- Mr. Robert Zurlo – Troop 5 Transportation
Additionally, Troopers, Professional Staff, and non-divisional members received several awards for Life Saving, Exceptional Performance, the Superintendent’s Citation, and Valor.
Congratulations to all award nominees and the recipients.