Sparta
Both the Officer of the Year and the Deputy of the Year were honored Monday night at the annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner hosted by the Republican Party of White County.
City of Sparta Chief of Police Nick Dunn presented Sergeant Aaron Light with the Officer of the Year Award, saying his addition to Sparta’s police force in July 2024 has been crucial to the improvement of law enforcement in the city.
“He’s been awesome. No matter what we ask him to do, he gets it done,” Dunn said, noting the size of the task doesn’t matter to Light, who treats everything from the department’s SPO program to handling smaller office tasks the same. “Aaron’s always there - no hesitation, no complaints. His work ethic, attitude, and genuine dedication make our department better every day.”
White County Sheriff Steve Page was also on hand as he presented Captain Nate Theiss with the Deputy of the Year Award. Sheriff Page said Theiss has helped the Sheriff’s Department secure over $2 million worth of grants in 2025.
“He does that yearly - not just for me, for this whole county,” the sheriff said of Theiss’s work finding money to fund programs and equipment to better the department. “It takes a lot to stay somewhere when you can go somewhere else and make more money, but he does it because he loves the county here.
"Nate’s dedication and his unwavering respect for the county and the Sheriff's Department does not go unnoticed. This whole county, in my opinion, owes him gratitude for his dedication to this county.”
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