Monroe County’s Chief Detective Eric Kerchner introduced Detective Kim Lippincott as the 2016 Monroe County Drug Task Force Officer of the Year last week at the county commissioner’s meeting.

“I am doing this at a commissioner’s meeting this year because I wanted you to see where the money you spend on our office goes,” Kerchner said. “Det. Lippincott is able to do what she does and attend the trainings she does because of it.”

Kerchner gave numerous examples of Lipppincott’s successes and exploits since she joined the team as a detective in 2014. Lippencott had interned with the department, but had joined the sheriff’s department out of college. She spent two years with the department before moving to the District Attorney’s office.

“I didn’t even apply for the job when my predecessor decided to relocate his family. I didn’t think I had a chance,” Lippincott said. “But they encouraged me to apply and the rest is history.”

Kerchner noted that in 2016 Lippincott took part in 34 drug arrests which resulted in the seizure of 103 grams of heroin, 16 grams of marijuana, 16 dosage units of LSD, 123 prescription pills, 11 grams of cocaine, nine grams of crack cocaine, one gram of methamphetamine and 18 dosage units of ecstasy.

Her 34 arrests in 2016 resulted in the seizure of six vehicles, $48,386 in US currency, 27 electronic devices and six handguns.

Besides working on drug=related crimes, Lippincott also specializes in offenses involving human sex trafficking and works with groups such as Valley Against Sex Trafficking, Truth for Women, BLOOM BANGOR and the WELL.

In the past year Lippincott has attended classes on wiretapping and electronic surveillance, human trafficking, Homeland Security Investigations Task Force office training, and numerous other courses.

Lippincott has received her instructor’s certificate in TASER training as well.

While attending the Mid-Atlantic Association of Women in Law Enforcement training conference in 2016, Lippincott was nominated for the MAAWLE Trooper Jessica Cheney Spirit Award.

Lippincott also visits local schools and has instructed teachers in the Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg School Districts on recognizing signs of drug abuse by students.

In describing Lippincott to the Monroe County Commissioners District Attorney E. David Christine, Jr. referred to Lippincott as a “one-man wrecking crew”.

Chairman John Moyer asked Lippincott if tips from citizens really help in the fight against drugs.

“Absolutely we take everything seriously, “Lippincott said. “We investigate the little guy, the nuisance dealers, and that leads us to bigger dealers and the larger drug busts.”