On October 14, 2020, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and Motorola Solutions named Trooper Daniel Harrell from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol as the IACP/Motorola Solutions 2019 Trooper of the Year. Trooper Harrell was chosen from four finalists among state and provincial agencies of the United States and Canada for this honor. 

“Motorola Solutions is proud to join the IACP to recognize Trooper Daniel Harrell with the Trooper of the Year Award,” said Jim Mears, Senior vice president, North America Sales for Motorola Solutions. “Trooper Harrell has gone above and beyond to help keep his community safe. We humbly recognize Trooper Harrell’s brave efforts, and the selfless dedication of the men and women in police agencies around the world who help protect us every day.” 

On Monday January 14, 2019, at approximately 5:21 p.m., Trooper Daniel Harrell, a five-year veteran of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, was patrolling his assigned area of Wilson County. As Trooper Harrell was finishing a traffic stop, he observed a vehicle traveling north bound on US301 improperly towing another vehicle. Trooper Harrell conducted a traffic stop, made contact with the driver and passenger, and informed the driver of the infraction. Both the driver and passenger were unable to produce their licenses or identification and drove off in an attempt to escape Trooper Harrell. A short chase ensued, then the driver pulled over. As Trooper Harrell was preparing to exit his patrol car, the driver leaned out of his vehicle and opened fire. The suspect fired approximately four shots, striking Trooper Harrell twice in the face. Trooper Harrell was able to immediately return fire and continued to stay engaged while providing vital information to the communications center. The suspect then drove away and Trooper Harrell continued to pursue the suspect. After a short chase, the suspect stopped to disconnect the towed vehicle. Trooper Harrell engaged the suspect with gunfire, however the suspect drove off again. The suspect then realized that they could not outrun Trooper Harrell. At this time, the suspect made a U-turn with the vehicle and collided head on with Trooper Harrell’s vehicle. The collision disabled Trooper Harrell’s patrol car. Despite this, Trooper Harrell continued to engage the suspect with gunfire again before the suspect was able to flee on foot. Thanks to the description Trooper Harrell provided, the involved suspects were located and arrested the night of the incident and no further persons were injured.  

Despite overwhelming adversity, Trooper Harrell showed bravery and dedication to public safety. 

“Congratulations to our 2019 Trooper of the Year Trooper Daniel Harrell. IACP is proud to honor your courage, professionalism, and dedication to your community. We appreciate your continued commitment to public service. All four finalists are exceptional examples of the heroism displayed by law enforcement officers across the globe. On behalf of the entire association, congratulations and thank you for your service,” said IACP President Steven R. Casstevens. 

The other IACP/Motorola Solutions Trooper of the Year finalists were Trooper Kyle Seger, Illinois State Police; Trooper Daniel Harrell, North Carolina State Highway Patrol; Trooper Ruben Correa, Utah Highway Patrol; and Trooper Timothy Conklin, New York State Police. Their stories can be found on the IACP website.