City Manager Dr. Alvin B. Jackson, Jr., City Attorney Paul Waters, Vice-Mayor John Rogers, Mayor Catherine Robinson, Commissioner Pete Young, Commissioner David Atkinson, and Commissioner Dean Sechrist. Front Row: Police Chief David Brannon and Sergeant Adrian Zapata. Courtesy of Bunnell Police Department
City Manager Dr. Alvin B. Jackson, Jr., Vice-Mayor John Rogers, Mayor Catherine Robinson, Commissioner Pete Young, Commissioner David Atkinson, and Commissioner Dean Sechrist. Front Row: Police Chief David Brannon and Chaplain Larry Hobbs. Courtesy of Bunnell Police Department
Sergeant Adrian Zapata, Detective Jeff Traylor, Officer Richard Coury, Officer Alan Eaby, Officer Brian Houser, Officer Sean Schlobohm, Officer Jonathan Whealton, Officer Fallon Ingino, and Public Safety Officer Heather D'arcangelo. Not pictured: Lieutenant Shane Groth, Public Safety Officer Rommel Scalf, and Administrative Assistant Elisa Terranova. Courtesy of Bunnell Police Department
The Bunnell Police Department recognized outstanding service, leadership, lifesaving actions, and the collective accomplishments of its personnel during an awards presentation held Monday evening at the Bunnell City Commission meeting.
In recognition of National Police Week (May 10 - 16, 2026), Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson and fellow commissioners presented a Proclamation to the members of the Police Department honoring their service and the sacrifice of law enforcement officers fallen in the line of duty. Since 1786, more than 24,000 law enforcement officers were killed or died in the line of duty. This includes Bunnell Police Sergeant Dominic Guida, who died in the line of duty on November 9, 2021, during a training event. He and the thousands of other officers' names are engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall in Washington, D.C.
Following the proclamation, Bunnell Police Chief David Brannon recognized several members of the agency for individual achievement, team performance, and the continued progress made by the Bunnell Police Department throughout 2025.
“Tonight, we recognize the men and women who continue to show up, serve with purpose, and protect this community with pride,” said Chief Brannon during his opening remarks. “Our motto, ‘Our Family Protecting Yours Since 1913,’ is more than a phrase. It reflects who we are, how we serve, and the responsibility we carry every day for the families who call this city home.”
During the ceremony, Sergeant Adrian Zapata received the department’s 2025 Officer of the Year Award. Sergeant Zapata was selected based heavily on nominations submitted by his peers, who described him as calm, dependable, knowledgeable, professional, reliable, and deeply committed to the success of the agency and those around him.
For much of 2025, Sergeant Zapata served primarily as a road patrol supervisor, providing field guidance, supporting command staff, and helping maintain continuity of operations. He also serves as the agency’s lead recruiter and leads the department’s recruiting team. In this role, he maintains regular contact with applicants, schedules ride-alongs, answers questions, learns about prospective officers, and helps identify candidates who fit the department’s standards of honor, integrity, professionalism, and service to the community.
Sergeant Zapata also plays a key role in training and mentoring newly hired officers and supervisors. During 2025, he received two lifesaving awards for separate incidents, including one involving an elderly patient suffering a heart attack and another involving a newborn baby who was choking.
The department also presented the Chief’s Commendation to the agency’s volunteer chaplain, Pastor Larry Hobbs of Flagler County Baptist Church in Bunnell, in recognition of his exceptional service and support to the department and community. Since accepting the role, he helped launch the department’s chaplain program, developed resource materials for victims and grieving families, provided spiritual and emotional support, participated in ride-alongs, and built meaningful relationships with officers and staff.
Chief Brannon noted the chaplain program provides an important additional resource for officer wellness, especially in a profession where personnel routinely face trauma, stress, grief, and difficult human circumstances.
The department also presented Certificates of Appreciation to members of the Bunnell Police Department who served throughout 2025. These certificates recognized the collective effort behind a year marked by proactive policing, increased visibility, community engagement, and continued crime reduction.
The department also saw measurable progress in several key crime categories. Compared to the previous year, Bunnell experienced a 21% reduction in Crimes Against Persons, a 25% reduction in Crimes Against Society, and a 9% reduction in Crimes Against Property.
In 2025, members of the Bunnell Police Department:
Those reductions came as a result of detectives and officers solving cases and holding offenders accountable. In 2025, 90% of Crimes Against Persons, 47% of Crimes Against Property, and 98% of Crimes Against Society were cleared by arrest. These results reflect the hard work, follow-through, and professionalism of the men and women of the Bunnell Police Department.
“These awards represent more than individual accomplishment,” Chief Brannon said. “They reflect a department committed to service, accountability, professionalism, and the safety of every family in Bunnell. I am very proud of the work our officers, staff, and volunteers continue to do each day.”
