Sebastian Police Corporal Richie Revis received well-deserved recognition on Tuesday as he was named the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by Attorney General Ashley Moody. This prestigious award underscores Corporal Revis’s exceptional dedication and unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the community.
Attorney General Moody praised Corporal Revis for his outstanding service and selfless determination to provide exceptional law enforcement to the City of Sebastian and Indian River County. The recognition serves as a testament to the caliber of officers the city is fortunate to have to safeguard its residents, visitors, and businesses.
City Manager Paul Carlisle expressed his pride in Corporal Revis, emphasizing his significant contributions to the Sebastian Police Department and the community. “Please join us in honoring one of our own who is one of Sebastian’s finest. His dedication to the City and his selfless determination to provide exceptional service to the City and Indian River County show the type of officers that the City is so fortunate to have protecting and serving our residents, visitors, and businesses. I could not be more proud of Corporal Revis and what a great representation of our Police Department,” he told Sebastian Daily.
The commendation for Corporal Revis stems from an incident in June 2023 when he pursued a suspect who had taken two female hostages in a vehicle. Utilizing advanced Flock cameras equipped with license plate reading technology, Indian River County Sheriff deputies were able to track down the vehicle.
The suspect, identified as Curtis Kimbrough, a 42-year-old from Cocoa Beach, had fled Osceola County with the two hostages in the car. During the pursuit, Cpl. Revis demonstrated exceptional bravery as Kimbrough shot and injured one of the female hostages. Despite facing gunfire from the kidnapper, Cpl. Revis relentlessly pursued the suspect until he drove the vehicle into a dead-end road in Grant. At that point, Kimbrough held one of the hostages at gunpoint and began firing at law enforcement before escaping into a heavily wooded area.
A widespread search operation involving helicopters from three counties was launched, setting up a perimeter from Grant to Barefoot Bay. In an act of tremendous courage, Cpl. Revis placed himself in harm’s way as he faced gunfire from the kidnapper. Eventually, law enforcement officers neutralized the threat, resulting in the suspect being shot and killed. As a result, the two hostages were safely freed.
Corporal Richie Revis’s unwavering bravery and selflessness during this harrowing incident highlight his exceptional dedication to protecting the lives of others. His recognition as Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by Attorney General Ashley Moody is a well-deserved honor that inspires and reaffirms law enforcement officers’ commitment throughout Sebastian and Indian River County.
The announcement of this esteemed honor took place during a ceremony at the Florida State Capitol, where Attorney General Moody acknowledged Corporal Revis’s exceptional service.
Sebastian Police Chief Dan Acosta expressed his pride and admiration for Corporal Revis, noting that he was chosen as the 2022 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for the entire state of Florida from a pool of eight finalists.
Sebastian Daily also extends its congratulations to Corporal Richie Revis, recognizing his exemplary commitment and bravery in upholding the highest standards of law enforcement.