Sgt. Mike Rader is OCSO 2017 Supervisor of the Year

February 15, 2018

Shalimar, FL – Sergeant Michael Rader was assigned to the Special Operations Division Street Crimes Unit in December 2016 and tasked with setting up the new unit. Although not fully staffed until June 2017, the SCU has made a year’s worth of impact in its six months of existence.

Sgt. Rader spent six months working with the Narcotics Unit, preparing for his team, arranging training, researching problem areas and people, forming Operating Procedures, and obtaining equipment. Through his leadership and innovation, the SCU has noticeably impacted violent crime in Okaloosa County. It initiated more than 1800 proactive calls including 750 traffic stops, 200 citizen contacts, 190 narcotic violations, and 90 warrant services, netting over 200 arrests. They have seized large quantities of dangerous drugs, $75,000 in cash, and taken six guns off the street.

Sgt. Rader’s team has been tasked with narcotics and burglary suppression, riot control duties, called on to assisted Patrol, Fugitive Warrants, and the Narcotics Unit.

He has coordinated with local municipalities and initiated an Information Sharing network that allows agencies to work together to fight street level criminal activity in our communities. This crossflow of information has increased effectiveness across jurisdictional lines. This effort has led to the formation of a dynamic Joint Task Force concentrating on the criminal element who don’t recognize borders.

Sgt. Rader has personally trained each member of his unit. He has taken six experienced patrol deputies and formed a cohesive and highly effective element that rapidly adapts to each mission they have been handed. He has sent each member to courses that brought asymmetric skills to the unit. Sgt. Rader also attended courses, completed self-study, and attended the Drug Unit Commander Course.

Sgt Rader is constantly involved in educating and training. He stays current on case law and law enforcement techniques and researches local and national trends. Sgt Rader personally set up a 4th Amendment Search and Seizure training seminar that brought in the Florida Prosecuting Attorney’s Association to educate nearly 100 law enforcement officers and prosecutors from around the state on case law and trends involving Search and Seizure. This seminar was lauded as being timely, relevant and helpful in clearing up issues and confusion created by ever changing case law.

Sgt Rader is a counselor and mentor committed to developing his team members, preparing them for advancement. To top it all off, Sgt Rader has been mentoring a troubled student, acting as a role model and spending his own time and money in an effort to turn the tide for this young man.

Sgt Mike Rader is an exemplary leader and is our Supervisor of the Year for 2017.