Two St. Petersburg Police officers, Master Officer Quentin Brent and Lieutenant Thomas J. Qualey, have been awarded the 2024 Ned March/Bud Purdy Award. The Rotary Club of St. Petersburg recognized them for their dedicated service to the community, as announced by the St. Petersburg Police Department on their Facebook page.
Officer Brent, with 37 years of service, is known for his exceptional facial recognition skills, which have been instrumental in his patrol work. He notably used these skills during an October 6, 2023, incident to peacefully resolve a potential suicide. The individual involved trusted Officer Brent enough to ask him to be the one to handcuff him, and afterward, Officer Brent fulfilled his promise by taking the man out for a meal before taking him in.
Lt. Qualey, who has served with the department since 2007, is known for his community-oriented approach to policing. His work has helped resolve quality-of-life issues in local neighborhoods, including shutting down properties involved in illegal activities.
