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CPO Michael Ciaverelli named Officer of the Year www.privateofficer.com
PALM BEACH GARDENS Fla March 29 2010 — Saving lives and putting out fires is all in a day’s work for Custom Protection Officer® Michael Ciaverelli. Assigned to the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) account, G4S Wackenhut’s Fort Lauderdale office honored CPO Ciaverelli’s courage and valor by naming him the 2009 Security Officer of the Year.
The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) and G4S Wackenhut management recognized CPO Ciaverelli during the SFRTA Governing Board meeting on Friday, March 26th. “The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority salutes CPO Ciaverelli for his bravery and commends him for his dedication to serving our passengers and the public. His background is typical of the type of officers who provide safety and security for our passengers on their daily travels,” said SFRTA Chair Jeff Koons.
CPO Ciaverelli is normally on duty at the Tri-Rail station in West Palm Beach. Recently, he heard an explosion and observed a fireball come from underneath a southbound Amtrak train that was stopped in the station. He quickly cleared the area of passengers and extinguished the fire. Because of his timely action and attention to duty, no one was injured. A few months prior to this, he saved a young man determined to end his life by walking into an oncoming train. CPO Ciaverelli observed him jump on the tracks, professing, “I am waiting to die.” He was able to talk the man off the tracks and took him to a safe location while waiting for the police to arrive. The man was transported to a mental health facility for assessment and treatment.
“We are proud of CPO Michael Ciaverelli and congratulate him on an exceptional job,” says G4S Wackenhut President Drew Levine. “Our ability to provide unrivalled security solutions to our valued clients like the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority is directly tied to exceptional employees like Michael Ciaverelli.”
CPO Ciaverelli joined G4S Wackenhut in 2008 after serving in the Navy for more than 20 years as a Law Enforcement Specialist and Anti-Terrorism Training Supervisor Instructor. G4S Wackenhut has been recognized for its military outreach efforts, including being named a Top 50 Military-Friendly Employer® by G.I. Jobs magazine and a Most Valuable Employer (MVE) for Military™ by CivilianJobs.com. These awards spotlight the company’s Custom Protection Officer® (CPO) division, which was created with veterans in mind. CPO Ciaverelli’s military and law enforcement background is characteristic of the security officers who provide safety and security for Tri-Rail passengers every day.
