Congratulations Officer Zakary Simmons for being awarded March Citywide Employee of the Month at the Tuesday, May 23, 2023, City Council Special Recognitions meeting.
Officer Simmons, a 2-year veteran of the Titusville Police Department, received this prestigious recognition in response to his proactivity in reference to a string of recent burglaries.
In March 2023, Officer Simmons was actively looking for a spray-painted F150 truck that was suspected to be involved in recent burglaries. This vehicle was originally white in color and had previously fled from law enforcement several times. It was discovered that it had been spray-painted black in order to hinder its capture.
While on duty, Officer Simmons spotted a vehicle matching the description and relayed the information to detectives. Once confirmed this was the suspected vehicle, Officer Simmons followed the vehicle, which quickly pulled into a driveway. Officer Simmons recognized this common tactic used by subjects to see if an officer will pull in after them. He activated his emergency traffic equipment in his vehicle at which point the driver and sole occupant exited the truck. Despite several commands to comply, the suspect fled on foot. Officer Simmons gave chase and was able to apprehend the subject. Later, it was revealed the subject's capture led to multiple confessions and the recovery of several stolen items.
This recognition is a public acknowledgment of Officer Zakary Simmons’ incredible work ethic and unsurpassed commitment to the members of our Titusville community.