Left to right, Brownstown Exchange Club president Joe Reynolds, Crothersville Town Board member Bill Nagle, retired Crothersville Police Chief Norman Ford, and current Chief Vurlin McIntosh. Ford was honored by the club by being named 2009 Police Officer of the Year at a recent meeting.
The Brownstown Exchange Club recognizes a local law enforcement agency every year and honors an officer from that department as its Police Officer of the Year.
Club secretary and committee chairman Tom Wright introduced Norman Ford, Vurlin McIntosh, and Bill Nagle from Crothersville. Ford recently retired as Chief of the department, McIntosh has been selected as his replacement, and Nagel is a Town Board member.
Wright spoke of how ever since he became involved in Jackson County law enforcement in 1989 those two were there answering calls and making the community safe for everyone.
Ford retired earlier this year after 34 years as a Crothersville police officer. He was born in Tennessee and his family moved to Scott County when he was two years old. He joined the Crothersville Police Department in 1975 and became chief the next year.
He said since he retired he’s turned the phone off and spent most of his time either farming or fishing. His son, Troy, is a five year member of the Scottsburg Police Department.
McIntosh has been a police officer since 1977 and has served under two chiefs. He joined the Crothersville Police Department in 1988.
Wright then presented Ford with the plaque proclaiming him 2009 Police Officer of the Year. Ford said, “I wondered if something was up. I’ve brought prisoners to the jail in Brownstown for 34 years and this was the first time I was asked to come over for breakfast.” He thanked the organization for the honor.
When McIntosh was asked when he was going to change his police call sign from 19-2 to 19-1 he said, “For the last 33 years Norm Ford was 19-1 and for the last 21 years I have been 19-2. I’m not changing my number; it’s going to stay that way.”
