McQueen named CVE’s ‘Officer of the Year’

Officer of the year: Vehicle Enforcement Officer Chris McQueen was in Lexington Friday where he was announced as the 2016 recipient of the Jason Cammack Officer of the Year Award.

McQueen said Captain Shawn Hines, commander of Region 4, told him back in May about the regional award and told him to plan be at the Lexington Convention Center where he would receive it.

As one of the six regional award winners, McQueen was nominated for the Jason Cammack CVE Officer of the Year Award.

The award is named in memory of the CVE officer who was killed in the line of duty in 2000.

In the letter Hines sent to the Kentucky State Police in Frankfort nominating McQueen, Hines noted that McQueen goes above and beyond in performing the duties of a vehicle enforcement officer, which is a combination of enforcing federal commercial vehicle regulations and serving and protecting the public as a law enforcement officer.

“He possesses a work ethic that is achieved by few and has really impressed his peers and supervisors over the last couple of years by consistently producing a high level of activity and a positive attitude,” Hines said of McQueen.

McQueen said despite the name “vehicle enforcement,” the job is split 50-50 between vehicle regulation enforcement and law enforcement.

“We emphasize enforcing the regulations, but at the same time we are out there assisting our fellow law enforcement agencies throughout the area.” McQueen said.

McQueen said his favorite part of the job is interacting the public, especially in situations where he can be of help.

“I just enjoy the public and what I do and helping folks,” McQueen said.

Hines said McQueen’s positive attitude when it comes to dealing with people shines through.

“He treats the motoring public with a great deal of professionalism and is seen by his peers as the go to guy with questions concerning Federal Regulations,” Hines said in his nomination letter.

The 2003 graduate of South Laurel High School said from the time he was in high school, a career in law enforcement was his goal. Upon graduation, McQueen went on to study criminal justice at Somerset Community College.

In 2005, he joined the Laurel County Sheriff’s Department, serving as a deputy for two years.

In 2007, McQueen joined vehicle enforcement.

In 2013, McQueen said his career almost came to an abrupt end when he fell and hurt his back. The pain became progressively worse.

Knowing that he couldn’t continue without surgery, and that if he had the surgery he may never recover enough to go back to work, McQueen said he put the decision in God’s hands.

“I prayed and prayed and one night it came to me that I should go ahead with the surgery,” McQueen said.

McQueen had the surgery in April 2014 and was fit for duty and able to attend the police academy in June.

As to his long-term plans, McQueen said he continues to enjoy going to work every day and would like to move up in the ranks with vehicle enforcement.

“Even after I retire from the state, I would like to find a way to stay in law enforcement in some capacity,” McQueen said. “That may change, but that is my goal for now.”

McQueen is the son of Mary Reed of Corbin and Glenn McQueen, also of Corbin.