Poplar Bluff Police Patrolman Andrew Cleaveland retired Oct. 15 after serving 26 years with the department.
Cleaveland, who also was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, served as patrolman, detective and school resource officer, plus firearms instructor, hostage negotiator, armorer and Law Enforcement Academy instructor during his time with the Poplar Bluff Police Department.
He was awarded the department’s Officer of the Year Award in 2018.
“Myself, personally, as well as the community want to thank officer Cleaveland for his service to his country in the U.S. Marines and for his service to protect the citizens all those years,” said Police Chief Danny Whiteley.
Whiteley described Cleaveland as one of the “go-to guys if you needed a specific task done. It was done promptly and thoroughly every time.”
Whiteley also said Cleaveland was a “great friend and great officer. We wish him and his family well in his future career at Probation and Parole.”