Always working to keep Wellington safe, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies Scott Poritz and Daniel Delia were recently recognized for their hard work and dedication to the community.
In July, Poritz was recognized as Wellington’s Top Cop. He was honored at a Wellington Village Council meeting and presented with a plaque.
“It is an honor to be recognized for a job that most of the time is a thankless one,” he said.
Any deputy assigned to Wellington has the chance to be nominated and recognized for his or her work in Wellington.
Poritz was nominated by Lt. Eli Shaivitz for his work as village liaison, acting as the liaison for the Citizen Observer Patrol and Crime Watch, taking the lead on the Wellington Holiday Parade, and chairing the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
“He is my ‘go-to’ person, and I’m always sending him unusual or complicated assignments,” Shaivitz said. “He is an exceptional employee, and I am honored to make this nomination.”
Poritz has worked as a law enforcement officer for 14 years and has received many different recognitions.
“Some examples would be Deputy of the Month, unit accommodation and the Lifesaving Award, just to name a few. The top cop award was for my overall performance as a Wellington deputy for all of my community engagement and law-enforcement roles this past year, not just for a single event,” he said.
The career was a natural fit for Poritz, who has always been engaged in some form or another of community involvement.
“I felt having a career in law enforcement would give me the ability to expand that role in making a difference in other lives,” he said.
Poritz has worked with the PBSO for the past 10 years. Some of his favorite moments have been seeing the look of relief and joy on the faces of victims after a case has been solved or a situation resolved.
Serving Wellington, specifically, is also important to Portiz.
“I like that we have the support from our command and the Village of Wellington staff and the council. Unfortunately, it is not like that in all communities,” he said. “That cohesion makes for a great workplace environment and experience as a Wellington PBSO deputy. Having the ability and chance to make Wellington a safer place is what makes this special for me.”
Delia was recognized as the 2015 PBSO Law Enforcement Deputy of the Year, as well as the 2015 Florida Missing Children’s Day Local Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. The first was presented by the PBSO, and the second by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
He learned about the PBSO recognition at the end of September and the FDLE recognition in late July.
For the FDLE recognition, Delia was honored at a presentation ceremony in Tallahassee presided over by Gov. Rick Scott. He got his PBSO recognition during an event at the Palm Beach County Convention Center presided over by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
The recognitions, he said, mean a great deal, and he is humbled by them.
“I believe that all law enforcement officers, like all professionals, typically perform their duties, usually in a crisis, without the thoughts of what others will think of their efforts in hours, days or months to come,” Delia said. “However, it is always fulfilling to be informed that your peers see your work and further find your work to be of a high quality and worthwhile.”
Though these recognitions were given specifically to Delia, he is quick to point out that he did not work alone.
“It’s important to understand that all my law enforcement accomplishments are a team effort,” he said. “My actions were supported by many other law enforcement officers and civilians in the PBSO, as well as all the personnel and supervisors who trained and mentored me throughout my career, to give me the skills and abilities that I use to accomplish my duties.”
Delia enjoys working with his squad members and making the community a better place to be.
“We solve problems, day after day, with a good sense of humor,” he said. “I love coming to work, and look forward to working with my partners… The added bonus is the knowledge that our work makes the quality of life of so many people, who we serve, better.”
Delia began his law enforcement career more than 30 years ago, working in the New York Police Department from 1981 to 2001, where he received several exceptional police duty and meritorious police duty awards, as well as unit and period citations, including the 9/11 Service Medal.
From there, he came to Palm Beach County, where he worked with the School District Police Department from 2002 to 2007 and was awarded the Life Saving Medal in 2005. He then joined the PBSO and has received several awards, including Deputy of the Month and the Wellington Top Cop award in 2011.
Law enforcement, and doing what is right, is important to Delia, who has worked at least two jobs since he was 17 years old.
“In 1979, when I became engaged to be married, and realized that I needed a steady job with good benefits, I began the arduous journey of testing to become a New York City police officer,” he said.
His path to becoming part of the NYPD eventually led him to Wellington, where he brings big-city experience to the village.
“I have the unique perspective of working for two other high-quality and professional law enforcement agencies,” Delia said. “My experience has been that the PBSO has allowed me the most range, and given me the most support to accomplish each of my various missions.”
With the PBSO’s support, he said, “I have experienced more opportunities to learn, improve and utilize my skills, in the last eight years, than in the previous 26 years.”
Wellington is Delia’s home, and working in Wellington, he said, “is simply an added honor and bonus.”
ABOVE: Deputy Scott Poritz and Deputy Daniel Delia.
