Sergeant Sylvester Smalls up for ‘Officer of the Year’

Reporter: Taylor Petras
Published: Updated:

One Lee County deputy is using his love for hoops to help kids in Southwest Florida.

Sergeant Sylvester Smalls is going beyond the call of duty to help teens get accepted into collegiate work.

Sergeant Smalls, a 24-year Lee County Sheriff’s Office veteran is up for ‘Officer of the Year.’

MORE: Deputy Michael Truscott up for ‘Officer of the Year’

“The best two things I like to do is through basketball or fishing,” he said.

From the patrol car to the basketball courts, Smalls brings his passion to help kids in his community.

“If there’s anyway I can help, I always do. That’s what it’s all about,” Smalls said.

He organizes basketball showcases to give players in the community a chance to go on to college.

Smalls has also helped dozens of teens once overlooked by college scouts to get scholarships and even degrees.

“Man, I’ve seen some kids come out of some horrible situations and are doing good. that just makes me feel happy.”

Including the three brothers Sergeant Smalls, who goes by Coach Sly on the basketball courts, has taken under his wing.

“He always told me what I have to do, what I needed to do to get a scholarship. He just kept me on track,” said Nehemiah Darrett.

And pulling double duty as both a deputy and a coach is no easy task.

“I tell my wife, ‘I’d do it again.’ All the time,” Smalls said.

For the past decade, Sergeant Smalls has also organized a fishing tournament to raise money for youth activity leagues.

The ‘Officer of the Year’ will be announced this Saturday at the “Rotary Club of Fort Myers South” Law and Order Ball.

WINK News is a proud sponsor.

The 2018 Law & Order Ball Officer of the Year finalist are:

  • Officer Emelia Lock, Fort Myers Police Department
  • K-9 Officer Stephen Scrobe, Cape Coral Police Department
  • Sergeant Sylvester Smalls, Lee County Sheriff’s Office
  • Deputy Sheriff Michael Truscott, Lee County Sheriff’s Office
  • Sergeant Domonic Zammitt, Fort Myers Police Department

The Law & Order Ball will take place at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 at Germain Arena, located at 11000 Everblades Parkway in Estero.

To read more about the event, you can visit their website. 

 

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