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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover's 2026 Public Safety Officers of the Year are, from left, 911 Operator of the Year Jamie Sauvage, Detention Officer of the Year Emiley Huerta, Police Officer of the Year Adam Trotter, Paramedic of the Year Trent Sharp and Firefighter of the Year John McClung.
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Hoover police Assistant Chief Scott McDonald, right, presents the 2026 Hoover Police Officer of the Year award at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Hoover Country Club in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, June 18, 2026. At left are finalists, Sgt. Kevin Morris, Sgt. Lee Amerson and winner Adam Trotter.
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Hoover police Assistant Chief Scott McDonald presents police public safety awards at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Hoover Country Club on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
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From left are Hoover Assistant Police Chief Scott McDonald, 2026 Police Officer of the Year finalist Sgt. Kevin Morris, Officer of the Year Adam Trotter, finalist Sgt. Lee Amerson and Hoover Mayor Nick Derzis.
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Hoover Assistant Police Chief Scott McDonald, left, with Hoover Detention Officer of the Year Emily Huerta, Police Officer of the Year Adam Trotter, Mayor Nick Derzis and Councilmen Robin Schultz and Gene Smith.
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Hoover fire Chief Clay Bentley presents the 2026 Firefighter of the Year and Paramedic of the Year awards at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Hoover Country Club in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
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Hoover fire Chief Clay Bentley, left, with 2026 Hoover Paramedic of the Year Trent Sharp, Firefighter of the Year, McClung and Assistant Fire Chief Matthew Javinett.
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Hoover Fire Department and city officials with the 2026 Hoover Paramedic of the Year and Firefighter of the Year. From left is fire Chief Clay Bentley, Paramedic of the Year Trent Sharp, Firefighter of the Year John McClung, Mayor Nick Derzis, Councilmen Robin Schultz and Gene Smith and Assistant Fire Chief Matthew Javinett.
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Hoover 911 Director Linda Moore presents the 2026 911 Operator of the Year award at the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Hoover Country Club in Hoover, Alabama, on Thursday, June 18, 2026.
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Hoover 911 Operator of the Year Jamie Sauvage, center, is pictured with, from left, Councilman Gene Smith, 911 Director Linda Moore, Mayor Nick Derzis and Councilman Robin Schultz.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover 2026 911 Operator of the Year Jamie Sauvage, third from left, is pictured with the Hoover 911 command staff.
The Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce recently recognized the 2026 public safety workers of the year.
The chamber at its June 18 luncheon at the Hoover Country Club recognized eight people for outstanding contributions to the Hoover police, fire and 911 departments.
POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR
Adam Trotter was named Hoover’s 2026 Police Officer of the Year.
Trotter made 99 DUI arrests in 2025 — the third most of any police officer in Alabama, said Scott McDonald, Hoover’s assistant police chief.
“One never knows how many injuries or fatalities his DUI enforcement action avoided, but there is no doubt that his efforts made Hoover roads safer for everyone who travels,” McDonald said.
While alcohol remains a primary contributor in impaired driving, other drugs play an increased role in impaired driving accidents, and Trotter is a certified drug recognition expert — a certification held by fewer than 1% of police officers in the state, McDonald said.
In addition to his strong record of DUI enforcement, Trotter is known for his strong work ethic, McDonald said. In 2025, he responded to 3,351 calls for service and made 56 non-DUI arrests.
Trotter also is a field training officer, helping train and develop the next generation of Hoover police officers.
Others named as finalists for Hoover Police Officer of the Year were Sgt. Lee Amerson, who leads the training division, and Sgt. Kevin Morris, who recently was promoted from his previous position as a detective in the crimes against persons unit.
FIREFIGHTER OF THE YEAR
John McClung was named Hoover’s Firefighter of the Year. McClung was described by his captain as an invaluable asset at Hoover Fire Station No. 7 in Inverness.
Chief Clay Bentley said many people assume that the Firefighter of the Year award is reserved for someone who does a particularly heroic act, but often it’s used as a way to recognize someone who consistently does the right thing, sets an example for other employees and performs all tasks in an excellent manner, even ones that some people might consider trivial.
“In the Hoover Fire Department, we seek out employees who display a strong work ethic and a positive attitude while carrying out our mission of faithful dedication to excellent service,” Bentley said.
Over the past year, McClung has shown a meticulous commitment to mastering not only the core responsibilities of a firefighter, but also those of the fire engineer.
“He is one who reports for duty every day with an excellent attitude, an unwavering work ethic and an intent to provide excellent service to the citizens of Hoover,” Bentley said.
PARAMEDICS OF THE YEAR
Two members of the Rescue 11 crew — Trent Sharp and Joey Mollica — were selected as Hoover’s paramedics of the year.
Sharp and Mollica were among firefighters who responded to a patient experiencing chest pains at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex soccer fields in April 2025. An evaluation indicated the patient was experiencing a heart attack, and as paramedics were preparing to take the patient for emergency care, he went into cardiac arrest, Bentley said.
Sharp and Mollica performed CPR, delivered a shock and were able to get his heart circulating blood again, Bentley said. While en route to the hospital, the patient went into cardiac arrest two more times, but by the time they got him to the hospital, they were able to get his heart back into a viable rhythm, Bentley said.
They returned to the hospital later that day and learned the patient was able to make a full recovery, he said.
“In the words of their lieutenant, because of the quick actions of the entire crew, especially the advanced care provided by the fire medics on Rescue 11, the patient survived and was able to return home to his family,” Bentley said. “This incident highlights the professionalism of our members and the quality of service they provide to our community.”
911 0PERATOR OF THE YEAR
Jamie Sauvage was selected as Hoover’s 911 Operator of the Year. Since joining Hoover’s emergency communications team in 2006, Sauvage has built a reputation as a consummate professional, a trusted teammate and a leader to whom others naturally look for guidance, 911 Director Linda Moore said.
“Jamie was nominated for her dedication, exceptional work ethic, training abilities and willingness to step forward whenever the department needed her most,” Moore said. “She is known throughout the center as a dependable employee, respected coworkers and outstanding trainer who not only gets the job done but ensures it is done right.”
Over the past year, she consistently rose to meet the demands of the department, working overtime shifts when needed and ensuring critical staffing needs were met, Moore said.
“She willingly assumed additional responsibilities, helped shoulder the increased workload, corrected issues before they became problems and maintained the high standards of excellence expected from our communications center,” Moore said. “She remained dedicated to training new hires, mentoring and counseling fellow employees, serving the public and providing critical support to our first responders.”
DETENTION OFFICER OF THE YEAR
Emiley Huerta was named Hoover’s Detention Officer of the Year, noted for demonstrating a high level of vigilance in one of the most critical areas in detention operations — the intake and search of prisoners, McDonald said.
During 2025, she located and stopped illegal contraband from entering the jail on eight separate occasions, including illegal drugs and weapons, McDonald said.
“Emily is an effective communicator,” he said. “She uses her communication skills to de-escalate situations before they require an escalation of force. Her ability to communicate in a different language is a strength that she has used on numerous occasions to reduce confusion and gain compliance from inmates with limited English proficiency.”
She treats all inmates fairly and with respect while at the same time holding them accountable for behavior expectations, McDonald said.
“Her approach has led to better cooperation and fewer issues and improved overall control within the housing unit,” he said. “Her work ethic, attention to detail and consistency reinforce the standards we expect.”
