Burlington Police Chief Mike Gauldin was awarded the “Executive of the Year" by the North Carolina DARE Officers Association January 6 at its annual banquet in Charlotte.
The award was a surprise to Gauldin; he thought one of the City’s officers was receiving an award.
Burlington Mayor Stephen Ross and Mayor Pro Tem David Maynard were in on the surprise. Ross and Maynard are both excited for the Chief. “It was great to know our Chief was recognized as outstanding. We knew it, but did not know others did. He is hard working and very deserving of the award,” stated Maynard.
Ross, who recently spoke to the Police Explorer Post, used an analogy to describe Gauldin. He told the group that the Chief had impacted many young peoples’ lives -- one he never even knew about. Years ago, Gauldin pulled a young man over in his car and lectured him on changing his life. This teenager did just that. He took heed to Gauldin’s words and is now a Greensboro detective.
Ross says that Gauldin believes in what he does, and the City of Burlington is fortunate to have him on staff.
Chief Gauldin has been a huge supporter of the DARE program and continues to fight to keep it in Alamance-Burlington schools.