Kannapolis Police Officer Receives Prestigious Award During Cabarrus County Law Day > City of Kannapolis | City of Kannapolis

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Officer TomlinToday, Kannapolis Police Lt. Allen Tomlin, Jr. was presented with the Robert J. Eury Award during the Cabarrus County Law Day Ceremony. The Robert J. Eury Award is given to an officer who serves in the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Department, the City of Concord Police Department or the City of Kannapolis Police Department; has at least 20 years of experience and is someone who embodies the integrity of Lt. Robert Eury.

This is the most prestigious law enforcement award in the community.  Lt. Eury was killed in the line of duty in 1972 while serving with the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Department. The award is given annually to an officer who demonstrates true commitment to law enforcement and service to the community.

This year’s recipient, Lt. Allen Tomlin, Jr. is a native of Cabarrus County and he has served the community as a law enforcement officer for 24 years. Allen is known for his humble quiet nature and for never wanting to garner attention for the good things he does in the community. For example, Allen has a part-time landscaping business and if he finds out about someone who is elderly or sick who cannot mow their lawn or cannot pay for someone to do it, he will stop and just mow it and leave. He never wants anyone to know about his kind deeds. If there is someone who needs a helping hand, he will empty his wallet and give them whatever he money he has.

 

“Allen truly embraces a servant-leadership philosophy.  He never asks someone to do a task he would not do himself and he is always willing to help others.  He has a sense of humbleness and is gracious with his time and money with no expectation of recognition.  Officers like Lt. Tomlin are America's quiet heroes who often go unnoticed and unappreciated until those critical moments when we need them.  To live with honor and serve with integrity in a dangerous and demanding job requires men and women of exceptional character, courage, and commitment. Lt. Tomlin certainly displays all these attributes,” said Kannapolis Police Chief Terry Spry. “The only way we know about any of the acts of kindness he does is when an fellow officer or member of the community tells us. He never seeks attention himself.”

 

Lt. Allen Tomlin began his career with the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office in 1997 and joined the ranks of the Kannapolis Police Department in 1998.  In 2000, he was designated as a Field Training Officer and received the designation of Master Police Officer and was promoted to Sergeant in 2011. Allen was then promoted to Lieutenant in 2019.  He is a member of the agency’s Special Response Team as a Negotiator.

He holds an Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate from the N.C. Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission and has completed over 3,000 hours of professional training.  He is a 1994 graduate of Concord High School and studied Criminal Justice at Rowan Cabarrus Community College.

 

Allen and his wife, Joann are residents of Cabarrus County. He is the son of Allen Henry Tomlin Sr. and the late Barbara Morrison Tomlin. He has two sisters, Tamara Bailey and Kathy Sherill.