Nampa Optimist Club

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Idaho Press Tribune 18 May 2001 - Front Page

Nampa Optimist Club honors outstanding officers

     NAMPA -- The Nampa Optimist Club named the Nampa Police Department’s Stu Hobson Police Officer of the Year Thursday.
     "He's a good solid cop and he deserves the award," Hobson’s boss, Police Chief Alan Creech, said.
     Creech said one of the reasons he selected the 34-year-old Hobson for the honor was because of accolades from teachers at Iowa Elementary, where he is a D.A.R.E. officer.
     Hobson has been with the department full-time since 1998. He and wife, Shawna, have a 7-month-old son, Alex.
     "There's something new every day," Hobson said of his job. "You get times of total excitement and some sheer terror, but it's all a lot of fun."
     Canyon County sheriff’s Cpl. Joe Whilden, was honored as Deputy of the Year.
     "He’s heavily involved in community policing," Chief Deputy Al Showalter said. "He’s organized more than 30 neighborhood watch groups and he’s great in dealing with the young people."
     A former Melba police chief, Whilden, 59, has been Melba’s resident deputy for eight years.

"It’s a good community, full of good people and good kids," Whilden said. "I’ve raised six kids here and I really enjoy the young people."
Tim Horn of Council was named State Trooper of the Year.

Annual awards
Each year, the Nampa Optimist Club honors a police officer, county deputy and state trooper. The officers are chosen by their departments for the honors.

Reprinted by permission of Idaho Press Tribune
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