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Capital Area Theodore Roosevelt Police
Award
2010 Honoree: Senior Lieutenant Phillip Harrover, Jr.
 The Capital Area Chapter hosted its seventh annual Theodore Roosevelt Police Award on December 6, honoring Prince William County (Va.) Police Department Senior Lieutenant Phillip "Flip" Harrover, Jr. The ceremony took place at the American Legion-Washington Office in Washington, DC. Doug Hill, Chief Meteorologist for WJLA-Channel 7 and WTOP, served as master of ceremony.
On March 15, 2008, while off-duty and riding a motorcycle, Flip was struck head-on by a truck estimated to be going between 40 and 45 miles per hour. The driver, later determined to be severely impaired from alcohol, tried to flee the scene but was stopped and arrested immediately.
Flip's right arm was broken in 11 places and at a 90-degree angle. He also had a compound leg fracture and a deep gash in his thigh. Flip was airlifted to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where he underwent about nine hours of surgery initially, followed over subsequent months by a series of other operations and grueling physical rehabilitation and therapy.
As his recovery progressed, Flip stayed focused on returning to work, and kept in touch constantly through email and phone, not only in his official role as Deputy Commander of the Special Operations Bureau, but also as a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team. Since officially coming back full-time --one year and a day after the accident- Flip has set a series of ambitious goals for himself, with an eye towards not only achieving his personal best but also on encouraging the professional development of colleagues and subordinates.
"I believe in leading by example, and leaders should challenge themselves," said Harrover. Of his ordeal and remarkable comeback, he said simply, "I was dealt a bad situation, and I could give up or fight. I chose to fight."
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