&#8220It was an honor the first time around and I was proud – but this time it means even more.”

Lt. Randy Courtney, one of two investigators for the Greenville Police Department, shares those thoughts as he reflects on being chosen as the Camellia City's &#8220top cop” for the second time.

Courtney was first chosen for the honor in 2001, the inaugural year for the award.

&#8220The first time, the chief and captains made the decision…this time, the chief let the troops, the guys working under me, choose it,” Courtney says.

&#8220You want the top brass to think you are doing a good job, but when the guys who work under you show they have confidence in you, it really makes you feel good.”

The Baker, Fla. native has served on the GPD for 14 years.

&#8220I started out in the military, the Army. So many people seem to fall out of the military and into a law enforcement career. Sometimes you pick the job – and sometimes the job picks you. That's what happened to me,” he says with a smile.

Courtney and his fellow investigator, Capt. Wink Fussell, take on any burglaries, robberies, homicides, forgeries and other felonies occurring in the city's jurisdiction.

&#8220We are each on call every other week, so it keeps us pretty busy,” Courtney says.

The investigator also does the training and firearms instruction for the department.

&#8220In October, we hosted a high-risk warrant course with eight of our own guys attending it, along with officers from Iraq and England and other places…

the department now has its own team to execute the search warrants. It's working well,” Courtney says.

As his years on duty have passed, Courtney says he has found some of his greatest on-the-job satisfaction comes from watching the growth of others in his profession.

&#8220Seeing young officers get hired on, be trained and progress – even if they move onto another department – I enjoy that.”

Other rewards of the job include the opportunity to help people and get crimes solved along the way, he says.

A family man, Courtney is married to Robin, who is currently on maternity leave from the business office at LV Stabler Memorial Hospital.

Four-week-old Jacob Courtney recently joined older siblings Alexandra, 10, and Zachary, 9.

&#8220This new addition has been easier than the others…I guess you just don't know exactly what you're doing with the first ones and you worry a lot more. We are really enjoying him – and Alexandra is a lot of help, too,” Courtney says.

Though his work schedule and family keep him busy, the investigator said he does enjoy hunting when he gets the chance, along with doing the taxidermy work he learned from his father, who formerly owned Blackwater Taxidermy Service in Greenville.

As a proud member of the Greenville Police Department, Courtney said he hopes to see &#8220growth in our department as our city grows.”

&#8220I want to see improved training, better personnel and equipment for our officers.

&#8220We've come a long way from my early days, but I'd like to continue to see improvement.”

His career goal?

&#8220I want people from other parts of the state to know Greenville, Alabama is a city that has a good, professional police department in place – that's my goal,” Courtney said.