Officer Michael Matthews, a six-year veteran of the Owensboro Police Department and a patrol officer in the northwest sector of the city, was named the Officer of the Year at OPD’s 2015 Awards Banquet Thursday night. Detective Jason McKinney was named Detective of the Year, and Tammie Harrington received the Telecommunicator of the Year award. The Police Explorer of the Year Award went to Jesse Rhinerson. Chief’s Awards were handed out to officers Jim Parham, Heath Stokes and Sean Schlachter, detectives Jeff Jackson, Michael Nichols, McKinney and Nicholas Wellman and Sergeant Jeff Roby.