During a recent awards ceremony at the Grand Key Resort, Key West Police Chief Sean Brandenburg honored Eleanor “Miss Ellie” Barker as the Civilian Employee of the Year 2020. Barker passed away suddenly in January.
She had worked for the Key West Police Department for 30 years. Barker started as a level II secretary assigned to the Detectives Bureau. Within a year, her position was reclassified to an administrative coordinator, the position she held for the next 26 years. In 2017 she was transferred to the Patrol Operations Bureau to serve as Capt. JR Torres’s Executive Assistant. In this role, she continued to display her outstanding work ethic and professionalism until her passing on January 12th of this year.
“During those years in Detectives,” said Capt. JR Torres, who served as the detective lieutenant for much of that time, “Ellie was an integral part of the investigation and successful disposition of several major cases including homicides, bank robberies, sexual batteries and serial burglaries.”
Barker’s sister and brother-in-law, Eloise and Chuck Pratt accepted the honor.
Barker was also named Civilian of the Second Half for 2020.
In the photo: Capt. Randal Smith, Mayor Teri Johnston, Capt. JR Torres, Chuck Pratt, Eloise Pratt, and Chief Sean Brandenburg.