Optimist Club Names Officer, Citizen Of The Year

Corporal Glenn Whisman rescued a woman from a burning car. Riviera Beach resident Sam Tanner extinguishes “fires” while planning National Night Out. Both men will be recognized by the Fort Smallwood Optimist Club during a ceremony at the Greene Turtle in Pasadena on June 13.

The club has awarded an Officer of the Year for two decades and a Citizen of the Year for 10 years, said Pam Bowman, president of the Fort Smallwood Optimist Club.

“The Optimist International branding statement is ‘Bringing out the best in youth, in our communities and in ourselves,’” Bowman said. “The recipients of these awards do just that, by going above and beyond in service.”

Officer of the Year
Corporal Glenn Whisman

A 1995 Northeast High graduate, Corporal Glenn Whisman has been with the Anne Arundel County Police Department for 10 years, but he witnessed a new sight during the early morning hours of March 31.

He was working his normal assigned post in patrol when he received a call about a possible drunk driver on Route 100. What he found instead was an “orange glow distinctive with fire” in the median.

“Once I pulled up, I could see the vehicle had struck a support pole and the entire engine compartment was fully [engulfed] in flames,” Whisman said. “As I exited my patrol vehicle, there were two males standing on the shoulder who I assumed were involved, but when I asked them, they stated ‘no’ and advised there was still someone in the vehicle. That's when I went into action to assess what needed to be done, so I grabbed my extinguisher and went at it.”

Whisman attempted to gain access through the other doors. The flames intensified. The driver floated in and out of consciousness, unable to assist.

“I was able to use the extinguisher to knock down the increasing flames momentarily to buy myself a few seconds to navigate through the deployed airbags of the driver’s window, climb in the driver’s window, unbuckle the driver and pull them from the vehicle through the window,” he said.

“I then carried the driver about 40 yards and placed them on the ground,” he continued. “When I turned around, the flames had now consumed the interior compartment of the vehicle where the driver was sitting. During the extrication of the driver, I could feel the heat from the flames, and the front tire exploded and the windshield busted as I pulled the driver out of the vehicle.”

The fire department arrived three minutes later. Whisman was praised by the battalion chief for saving the driver’s life.

Whisman had never pulled someone from a burning car, but while working the midnight shift, he handled many calls for service: domestic disputes, burglaries, robberies, business checks, community checks, traffic and drug enforcement, and drunk drivers. He is also a DWI instructor, field training officer and an informal mentor to young officers.

He was recommended as Officer of the Year by Lieutenant Charles Ravenell, a shift commander for the Anne Arundel County Police Department’s Northern District.

“Though his primary responsibilities are to respond to calls in his service area, enforce traffic laws and ensure businesses are secure, Corporal Whisman is diligent in his pursuit to close cases,” Ravenell said. “He works relentlessly to identify suspects to give victims closure by bringing their cases to successful conclusion. Those of us who work with Corporal Whisman are proud, and his recognition by the Optimist Club is well deserved.”

Whisman said he was just doing his job.

“This incident is just one of the many parts of the job and part of the oath I took when I started my career as an officer to protect and serve the citizens of Anne Arundel County,” Whisman said.

Citizen of the Year
Sam Tanner

Sam Tanner has plastered cans with pictures of villains, but he is no bad guy. A resident of Pasadena since 1980, he designs the cans as part of a game for kids during National Night Out (NNO) for the Anne Arundel County Police Department’s Eastern District.

Tanner sits on the Pasadena Business Association board of directors, he has coached youth soccer and he serves his community of Bar Harbor, but he received the Citizen of the Year honor from the Fort Smallwood Optimist Club primarily for his work with NNO.

After coordinating the site and games for NNO, Tanner now chairs the August event, taking over for John Spencer. Lieutenant Fred Crosse called it the largest NNO in Anne Arundel County.

“It’s all about setting up the site, planning and making sure every vendor has some game or giveaway for the kids,” Crosse said. “[Tanner] sets up carnival-style games.”

Tanner joked that his wife allowed him to take over NNO in exchange for completing a list of tasks around the house.

“In order of difficulty, the hardest part is just finding the time and the next is trying to ‘herd the cats’ — get all committee members to agree,” Tanner said. “John Spencer was great at the herding. I'm still a work in progress trying to overcome and accomplish that difficulty.”

Crosse said the work of Tanner and other volunteers is important because NNO helps the police form trust with the community.

“It’s that relationship we build with the community to make Anne Arundel County a great place to live,” Crosse said. “Community members help us to solve crimes, give them pertinent information and build on those relationships so it feels like the police are approachable.

“We have so many people doing things through our Police Community Relations Council and through the Pasadena Business Association, so it’s a testament to [Tanner] that he was honored after stepping up the last four years.”

Tanner does feel honored. “Most volunteers don't give away their time for the recognition,” Tanner said. “Some do and those are the ones doing it for the wrong reason. I do it in hopes of making where we live a better place.”