Deputy Michael Truscott up for ‘Officer of the Year’

For Lee County Sheriff Deputy Michael Truscott, patroling the streets of Lehigh Acres hits home.

Truscott, a finalist for ‘Officer of the Year,’ goes the extra mile for the people of his hometown.

For him, the job is more than just getting bad guys off the streets.

“I went to all the local schools here, I went to high school here,” he said.

Now as the east district community policing deputy, he’s all about getting to know the people who live in Lehigh Acres.

“That’s the side of law enforcement that I like better,” Truscott said.

He is building connections by organizing Lehigh Acres’ first ever “Coffee with a Cop.”

“We have, you know, a human side to us, and that’s the most important side to us, you know,” he said. “The community events and the people, not just taking bad guys to jail.”

And he’s not afraid to get dirty on the job as well, staying in tune with other groups who are doing their part to keep the town clean.

By staying connected to his community, he’s able to see problems for himself firsthand.

He’s helped to crack down on people who illegally ride ATVs which were destroying canal banks.

But his favorite way to get involved and give back is during the holiday season when he and other deputies take children shopping to give them a better Christmas.

“Those are the things that are most rewarding to me, to be able to help the community, and help the kids out,” he said.

There’s nowhere else he’d rather serve.

“They’re going to have to drag me outta here kicking and screaming to go to another district.”

Truscott participates in back-to-school fundraisers and has already been named “Deputy of the Month” by the greater Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce.

The “Officer of the Year” will be announced this Saturday at the “Rotary Club of Fort Myers South” Law and Order Ball.

MORE: CCPD K-9 Officer Stephen Scrobe up for ‘Officer of the Year’

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The 2018 Law & Order Ball Officer of the Year finalist are:

• Officer Emelia Lock, Fort Myers Police Department
• K-9 Officer Stephen Scrobe, Cape Coral Police Department
• Sergeant Sylvester Smalls, Lee County Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy Sheriff Michael Truscott, Lee County Sheriff’s Office
• Sergeant Domonic Zammitt, Fort Myers Police Department

The Law & Order Ball will take place at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 at Germain Arena, located at 11000 Everblades Parkway in Estero.

To read more about the event, you can visit their website.