May 14, 2010
Special Agent Trent Hillsman of the Athens GBI Office receives the Sherm Applebaum Award
On Wednesday, May 12, 2010, Special Agent Trent Hillsman of the Athens GBI Office received the Sherm Applebaum Award given annually by the Athens Rotary Club to a deserving law enforcement officer who exemplifies professionalism and “service to others above self”. Agent Hillsman was a co-recipient of the award with Lieutenant Gene Rankin of the University of Georgia Police Department.
Nominees are selected from submissions from Athens-Clarke County Police Department, University of Georgia Police Department, Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia State Patrol Athens Post and the GBI Athens Regional Office.
Agent Hillsman is a local product of Madison County, where he still resides, and graduated from Madison County High School. Agent Hillsman began his career in law enforcement with University of Georgia Police Department and then moved to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. He has been employed as an Agent with the GBI since 2001. Other than general field investigations, Agent Hillsman also has additional responsibilities as an area Bomb Technician, Back-up Crime Scene Specialist and Georgia Peace Officer Standards Training Instructor.
Agent Hillsman’s nomination focused mainly on his work as case agent on three major murder investigations, two of which involved the murders of children. All three were potential death penalty cases that pled guilty in the past year to sentences of Life without Parole. His nomination also included his community service to Athens area homeless, his local church missions and other area projects.
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