Attorney General Honors Mobile Traffic Cop

Oct 9th, 2003

MOBILE -- Police Officer Victor "Greg" O’Shea, a traffic cop whose compassion and service spanned two continents, has been named the Southern Region Officer of the Year by the state Attorney General’s Office.

He will be honored at a ceremony at noon October 14 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham.

The 36-year-old O’Shea, who started at the Mobile Police Department as a cadet in 1987, is one of only three traffic homicide investigators here. It’s a job that requires great exactitude, impartiality and a compassion for surviving members of both the victims and the defendants.

In the last year, he has performed exceptionally as an investigator on six fatalities, presenting three of these for prosecution. In addition, he has solved nearly 50 percent of the 228 cases involving drivers who left the scene of accidents.

But it is in his actions beyond the call of duty in which the true mettle of his character becomes apparent. He is a man who shows consistency, dedication and compassion in all his work.

Circumstances presented a special challenge to O'Shea last March when he responded to a traffic fatality at Airport Blvd. and Montlimar Drive. A car struck Thomas Crossan as he walked across the traffic lanes of Airport. In this case, the victim happened to be a citizen of Ireland, residing in England and working in Mobile when he died in the tragic accident.

O'Shea took responsibility for trying to locate and contact Crossan's family in Ireland and England, finally reaching Crossan's brother in Belfast, Ireland, and delivering the devastating news to him.

Realizing that circumstances were especially trying for Crossan’s family,
O'Shea provided Crossan's brother with his personal cell phone number. In addition, the officer assured him that he would pick him up at the airport and take him to the funeral home to make final arrangements.

O'Shea's service to the family didn’t stop there. He learned that the family was practicing Catholics, and O'Shea contacted his own priest to arrange lodging for the victim's brother. The arrangements served two purposes: shelter and, more importantly, the availability of spiritual counseling for the brother, who had to travel to Mobile alone to identify the body and make arrangements for its transport overseas.

Tenacity and commitment prevailed in another notable case in the last year. O'Shea was headed home from work in December after 19 hours on the job working a DUI enforcement grant.

As O'Shea entered his neighborhood, he noticed a male exit a vehicle and duck down beside it. Despite his long hours and fatigue, O'Shea stopped to investigate the peculiar behavior. He approached the subject when he noticed another occupied vehicle close by with its headlights on and motor running. O'Shea detained the occupant of the vehicle and located yet another subject hiding under another vehicle in the same vicinity.

Investigation revealed that the subjects were breaking into cars in the area and, furthermore, were responsible for several other auto burglaries. O'Shea's diligence under trying circumstances netted $2,200 in stolen property that could be returned to its rightful owners and resulted in three arrests.

"Officer O'Shea consistently demonstrates a special faithfulness and attention to duty whether on or off duty," said his commander, Lt. Kara Fagan. "His actions and willingness to go the extra mile reflect highly of his character and are a credit to the law enforcement profession."

This year marks the third year that the Alabama Attorney General’s Office has honored the top law enforcement officers in the state. It offers awards for north, south and central Alabama as well as a statewide honor. Officer Leland Terrell of the Mobile Police Department earned the state award in 2001.

Contact: Nancy Johnson
Community Relations Officer
Phone: 208-1926
Pager: 582-5889