Trooper of the Year: David ‘Shack’ Cox

JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - An award like Trooper of the Year isn’t something that comes around often.

“Trooper of the Year, which is a high honor for the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), because obviously it’s one person and they’re selected to represent the patrol for that full year,” FHP Lieutenant Jason King said.

“It’s the highest award you can receive with the Florida Highway Patrol,” Trooper David ‘Shack’ Cox said.

This year, the man named Trooper of the Year is a name you might recognize: David ‘Shack’ Cox. He can be found in the panhandle, specifically Marianna, keeping the streets safe.

It’s not easy to be nominated for this award. Cox was named Trooper of the Year only after using quick thinking and patience to save the life of a five-month-old after an armed abduction in January 2021.

“I knew they were armed and I knew there would possibly be a shootout, and I didn’t want to do anything to endanger the child even more, so I waited until they pulled into the gas station,” Cox said.

That’s when Cox made the arrest, and got the baby safely out of the car. However, Cox said it was just another day at the office.

“That’s what I do is I protect those who can’t protect themselves to a certain degree,” he said. “That five month old couldn’t protect herself so I was there to take care of business for her.”

Even though Cox might have been surprised to win this award, his fellow troopers weren’t.

“Working with him for 18 years or so, I’m not surprised because he’s always been a hard charger to try to go after anything he could outside the box,” King said.

Even if he’s now Trooper of the Year, he’s still keeping local streets safe, like he’s done for years.

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