BOSTON – Two Massachusetts Police Officers were among the 18 law enforcement officers from across the Nation recognized today by Attorney General Merrick Garland at the Fifth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing.
Attorney General Garland announced the award recipients today in Atlanta. Officer Danielle St. Peter of the Barnstable Police Department and School Resource Officer Tom Hart of the Walpole Police Department were selected and honored for their exceptional work in Innovations in Community Policing.
“Officers St. Peter and Hart are exemplary representatives of our law enforcement community, and their selflessness and commitment to serving their communities is what earned them today’s honor,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “I had the privilege of speaking with both of their Police Chiefs today to personally offer my congratulations. Chief Sonnabend and Chief Kelleher are each incredibly proud of their Officers, as they should be. The dedication to public safety displayed by these two Officers is representative of the many men and women across the Commonwealth who honorably protect and serve our communities everyday as police officers. On behalf of all their federal law enforcement partners in the District of Massachusetts, I want to publicly thank Officer St. Peter and Officer Hart for their service and congratulate them on this tremendous honor.”
“The work of law enforcement has always been difficult—but perhaps no more so than in the recent past, as officers have faced a host of significant challenges. The officers and deputies receiving this year’s awards demonstrate how so many go above and beyond, even in the midst of trying circumstances,” said Attorney General Garland. “Every day, thousands of people who work in law enforcement forge and maintain strong community ties that are essential for ensuring public safety. The recipients of this award represent quintessential examples of such critical efforts. It is an honor to recognize them.”
The Attorney General’s Award recognizes individual state, local, Tribal and territorial police officers, deputies and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded officers and deputies have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: innovations in community policing, criminal investigations, or field operations. This year, the Department received 185 nominations from 145 agencies, recognizing a total of 347 individual officers, deputies, and troopers. There were 39 states represented in the nomination pool, covering state, local, campus, sheriff and other agency types.
The work being honored this year reflects numerous examples of law enforcement officers working closely with the community to build trust, solve problems, reduce crime, and improve public safety.
The Department of Justice works closely with national law enforcement stakeholder groups during the award review period, taking advantage of their expertise and experience to determine the recipients in a competitive nomination process. The Department also works closely with its components, utilizing the breadth of knowledge within the Department to ensure a successful program that honors the exceptional service of our nation’s law enforcement officers and deputies.
Complete information on the Fifth Annual Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ag/policing-award.