JAY – Two Jay police officers were recognized Wednesday night during the annual Jay Police Department meeting.

The department named Sgt. Troy Young the 2008 Employee of the Year and awarded officer Michael Mejia the department’s 2008 Professionalism Award.

Young joined the Jay force in March 2002 and was promoted to sergeant in March 2007. Young always displays a positive attitude toward his work and fellow officers, police Chief Larry White Sr. said in a news release.

“He is recognized for his outstanding work in assisting the chief with the moving of the Police Department into its new facility in which he put in many long hours. Sgt. Young also covered many on call hours on weekends this past year as a supervisor when the department was short staffed,” White said.

Young recognizes the important roles of responsibility, authority and accountability and places organizational interest ahead of his own personal interests, White said.

“He leads by example and demonstrates decisive leadership ability,” White said. “Sgt. Young is an inspiration to all who work under his command.”

Mejia is a proactive officer who gives his utmost to the department, White said.

“He is an officer that can work unsupervised and achieves optimal levels of personal performance and accomplishments,” he said. “Besides his patrol duties, officer Mejia assists in maintaining the department’ computer software programs and he is undergoing training as a drug recognition expert in evaluation and classification. Officer Michael Mejia constantly strives to grow professionally within the department and is an outstanding team player.”