MIAMI — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Florida, Southern), published as received.

MIAMI — U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida is delighted to share Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s announcement today regarding the recipients of the Seventh Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. This prestigious award recognizes law enforcement officers who demonstrate exceptional dedication to strengthening trust, promoting community engagement, and enhancing public safety. The award recipients include deputies who protect and serve communities in the Southern District of Florida.

“All 21 of today’s awardees have demonstrated what community-oriented policing looks like in practice,” said Attorney General Garland. “They come from all different parts of the country. They represent communities of all shapes and sizes.  Their typical days might not all look the same. But they are united by a deep commitment to protecting their communities.”

The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, and Tribal sworn officers, deputies, and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded individuals have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: criminal investigations, field operations, or innovations in community policing.

“Today, we stand in the presence of extraordinary individuals who exemplify the very best of what it means to protect and serve,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “We celebrate a remarkable truth: the profound and positive impact that law enforcement officers and deputies have on the communities they serve every single day. These awards honor those who exemplify the very best of the profession and showcases these individuals as pillars of trust, empathy, and unity.”

The 2024 award recipients are:

Category: Criminal Investigations

  • Detective Matthew Newbold of the Polk County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office;

  • Detective Liz Grant of the Kennewick, Washington, Police Department;

  • Detective Tyler Norman of the Salt Lake City, Utah, Police Department; and

  • Police Officer Reece Walno of the Spearfish, South Dakota, Police Department.

Category: Field Operations

  • Deputy Sheriff Jahmar Robinson of the Palm Beach County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office;

  • Lance Corporal Justin Boyd of the Columbia, South Carolina, Police Department; and

  • Detective/Community Policing Officer Stephen Leacroy of the La Marque, Texas, Police Department.

Category: Innovations in Community Policing

  • Corporal Adrian Maldonado, Deputy James Mackey, Deputy Jason Coker, Deputy Tammy Fox, and Deputy Yanick Exceus of the Palm Beach County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office;

  • Detective Edwin Hugh and Police Officer Thomas Joy of the Suffolk County, New York, Police Department;

  • Officer Stephen Malandro, Officer Trevor Stamper, and Specialist Todd Nutbrown of the Largo, Florida, Police Department;

  • Officer Wesley Griffith and Officer Bill Koehn of the Overland Park, Kansas, Police Department;

  • Master Police Officer Thomas Rodriquez of the Manassas City, Virginia, Police Department; and

  • Master Officer Shauna Moller of the Manassas City Police Department.

“It is an honor to share the stage with these recipients,” said Director Hugh T. Clements of the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). “I am inspired by their actions and service.”

The awardees were selected from a nationwide pool of nominees for their outstanding achievements in fostering safer, more inclusive communities.

The Justice Department commends these officers for their service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to their communities. For more information about the awards, visit www.justice.gov.

The COPS Office is the federal component of the Justice Department responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Justice Department agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 138,000 officers.

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