Vicksburg’s, Warren County’s and the Mississippi Highway Patrol’s finest will be honored Wednesday by the Vicksburg Benevolent Club.

The club’s 35th version of the Officer of the Year Banquet is 7 p.m. Wednesday at American Legion Post 213, “the Hut,” 1618 Main St. Admission is $10. Municipal Judge Angela Carpenter is the guest speaker.

The VHBC is a nonprofit organization that helps the needy through financial assistance, utility assistance and scholarships, but club president Willie Glasper said the banquet is not a fundraiser.

“It’s paying for the meal,” Glasper said. “We don’t make a profit off the meal. All this is giving recognition to the first responders.”

Glasper said the idea for the banquet came from a conversation with police officers more than 35 years ago about the lack of community support and recognition for law enforcement.

“They were just talking about (how) they never get recognized for what the department does, and from that conversation, I took it to the club and asked them if we could recognize the officers of the year. I think we are the only organization that still honors first responders.

“These are the people who get out and serve and protect us, and they get very little recognition,” Glasper said.

The first year, he said, the organization honored police officers. The next year, sheriff’s deputies were included, “And then later we went to the fire department.”

In 2017, state troopers — including the Mississippi Highway Patrol SWAT team — were recognized.

The fire department nominees, Glasper said, include emergency medical workers.

“In fact, some of the EMTs have received the award,” he said. “They’re (the nominees) in with what the fire department gives us; if it’s EMTs or firefighters, we go with that.”

Glasper said the nominations are determined by the chiefs and department heads, who select two officers or firefighters.

“What they look at is the work they (the officers) have performed during the year, and submit the bios and training. If there’s some specifics that need to be recognized, then we address those.

“We have had some who have been nominated for the awards, and then there are some who have done something outstanding, like save a life, and not nominated for the award, and we’ve given them an award anyway.”