Spring Police Foundation Luncheon Brings a Crowd

For the members of the Marco Island Police Foundation, their Spring 2024 Luncheon at Hideaway Beach was a sellout success. The large crowd could be attributed not only to the guest speaker but also to the announcement of Josh Ferris as the Foundation’s Officer of the Year. Those who have worked with Ferris have had nothing but praise for his dedication and commitment to the department.

“Josh has been a staple of this community for the last 12 years, always supporting the community and finding ways to advance the Marco Island Police Department,” said Police Chief Tracy Frazzano when asked for comment. “Besides his overall responsibilities as the Marine officer, Josh took the lead in overhauling the firearms program. His commitment to Marco Island spans beyond the MIPD as he continues to volunteer his time for different causes and can be seen fostering the musical talents of our residents.”

The Ferris family has grown since he first won the award eight years ago, as evidenced by the newborn son Rowdy, who was in attendance at the event with mom Talayna and grandmother Mary Alice.

Former Secret Service Agent Tim McCarthy was the guest speaker. McCarthy is best known for protecting President Ronald Reagan from an assassination attempt by John Hinckley 51 years ago on Saturday, March 30, 1981.

McCarthy served 22 years in the Secret Service, eight of those in the Presidential Protection Detail in Washington, D.C., both before and after the attempt on Reagan’s life. In 1990, he assumed the position of Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the U.S. Secret Service until his retirement in 1993.

Needless to say, the audience was spellbound by his front-row seat to those historic events in American history, which saw an American President seriously wounded along with James Brady, the White House Press Secretary. Agent McCarthy was also wounded when he shielded Reagan with his own body, catching a bullet in his chest.

After a short time in the private sector, McCarthy assumed the job of Police Chief in Orland Park, a suburb of Chicago, in 1994, and retired after 26 years. Since then, he has lectured about his almost half a century of experience in law enforcement and his experiences with the Secret Service and the Reagan incident in 1981.