Senior Conservation Police Officer Jessica R. Whirley has received the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award for 2015 from the Central Virginia Law Enforcement Association (CVLEA).

The award was presented to Whirley during the association’s annual awards meeting recently.

“Too often we fail to recognize the work of the many law enforcement professionals who commit their lives to the citizens of this fine state,” said Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) Conservation Police Capt. Tony Fisher, who serves as the president of the CVLEA.

“This award is simply our association’s way of showing an appreciation and saying thank you to those officers who give so much.”

This is one of many awards that Whirley has received over the past year.

She was named the Virginia Conservation Police Officer of the Year for 2014 and the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association National Officer of the Year for 2015.

Whirley said winning the award was “absolutely amazing.”

“I have won multiple awards, but to be recognized by this association, which includes many different agencies within Central Virginia as being the Officer of the Year makes me speechless. It is amazing that not only my agency and wildlife agencies throughout the country recognized me but multiple different law enforcement agencies feel the same way.”

She said she was proud and honored that she could represent the VDGIF in winning the award.

According to a department press release, Whirley joined the VDGIF law enforcement division in 2007, and is currently assigned to Prince Edward County.

“Since joining the [department] as a conservation police officer, Jessica has used both her educational background and law enforcement training to identify and solve problems that involve high degrees of critical thinking. She consistently leads her peers in violations detected which directly correlate to her strong work ethic and commitment to her job responsibilities,” the release states.

“Whirley’s work ethic, professionalism, positive attitude and leadership are apparent as she performs her work enforcing wildlife, fishing and boating laws and promoting safety and education. Her hard work has established her as an enforcement leader in her district and in the region and she has firmly established herself statewide as an outstanding conservation police officer.”

According to the release, Whirley is a Department of Criminal Justice Services certified criminal justice instructor and serves on the division’s Defensive Tactics Cadre.

“She is also a division field training officer and has provided valuable instruction and insight to … recruit officers.”

The CVLEA is a professional membership organization which is comprised of law enforcement managers and supervisors from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies throughout Central Virginia who meet monthly to network and share information.