Farthest North APOA Award Program
Statement of Purpose
The Chapter recognizes that members of law enforcement, corrections, other criminal justice partners, and citizens perform outstanding acts that are worthy of official recognition by the Chapter. It is the purpose of this program to honor such individuals and to encourage the pursuit of excellence in the criminal justice field.
Submission Period/Deadline
FNC will re-announce quarterly the submissions to the FNC APOA Award program. Submissions can be until April 19th, 2024 for the 2023 calendar year. Submissions are welcome anytime and can be made by anyone. The date of submission will determine the year for the potential award.
Categories of Awards
There are nine divisions that the Chapter will recognize, each honoring an individual for excellence during the stated year. Those selected need not be members of APOA, with the exception of Member of the Year (who must be a life or current active or associate member).
- Member of the Year
- Chief/Commander of the Year
- Police Officer of the Year
- Criminal Justice Professional of the Year
- Investigator of the Year
- Dispatcher/Call Taker of the Year
- Instructor of the Year
- Support Person of the Year
- Citizen of the Year
Member of the Year
This award is presented annually to a member of APOA and recognizes their involvement, commitment, and achievement in a given year. The recipient of this award should be an active chapter supporter, a role model to other members, and a mentor to other up-and-coming members of APOA. The recipient will have advanced the mission, goals, and purpose of APOA and will have positively impacted APOA's programs, activities, and /or services. The member selected for this award will be submitted as the Chapter’s nomination for APOA Member of the Year.
Chief/Commander of the Year
This category comprises members of criminal justice agencies holding the rank of Lieutenant or above (i.e., Chief, Deputy/Assistant Chief, Commander, Captain, Lieutenant, etc.). Selection criteria will emphasize leadership, innovation, professional development, integrity, service to the public, and contributions to the criminal justice system as a whole.
Police Officer of the Year
This category comprises members of law enforcement agencies below the rank of Lieutenant (i.e., Sergeant, Corporal, Senior Officer, Officer, etc.). The award honors an officer who distinguishes him/herself by actions that represent the highest standards of the police profession. It may be awarded for specific acts of valor, consistent service above and beyond the call of duty, development of innovative programs, and/or significant service to the community apart from police work.
Criminal Justice Professional of the Year
This category comprises non-sworn members of other criminal justice organizations (i.e., District Attorney’s Office, Corrections, Probation and Parole, etc.) The award honors an officer who distinguishes him/herself by actions that represent the highest standards of the criminal justice profession. Similar to Police Officer of the Year, it may be awarded for specific acts of valor, consistent service above and beyond the call of duty, development of innovative programs, and/or significant service to the community apart from police work.
Investigator of the Year
This category comprises those police officers performing investigative duties, either full or part-time, whether for their own agency or as a member of a task force or special unit (i.e., Detective, Investigator, Officer, etc.). The award recognizes innovation in investigative methods, impact on the investigator’s agency/unit, impact on the investigator’s community, and/or significance of the case(s) in terms of scope, complexity, notoriety, and/or community concern.
Dispatcher/Call-Taker of the Year
This category comprises members of law enforcement agencies below the rank of the dispatcher/call-taker. The award honors a dispatcher or call-taker who distinguishes him/herself by actions that represent the highest standards of the dispatch profession. It may be awarded for specific acts of valor, consistent service above and beyond the call of duty, development of innovative programs, and/or significant service to the community apart from dispatch work.
Instructor of the Year
This category recognizes an instructor whose acts and deeds as an instructor serve as an example to the profession, their department, their community, and their peers alike. The Instructor of the Year demonstrates an ongoing commitment to criminal justice by teaching and encouraging others to progress themselves and/or their organization to pursue excellence, whether generally or through specific subject matter expertise.
Support Person of the Year
This category comprises those non-sworn individuals who directly support the operations of a criminal justice agency (i.e., Evidence Custodian, Administrative Assistant, Clerk, Coordinator, etc.). The award recognizes the outstanding support professional who has best enhanced their agency through:
- Innovations to support day-to-day operations;
- Personal and professional achievements in his/her classification or field;
- Involvement in promoting public safety in the community.
Citizen of the Year
May be awarded to any citizen who made a significant contribution to law enforcement: by a heroic act or assistance given that had a positive bearing on the outcome of an incident; or whose volunteer efforts displayed exemplary commitment, leadership, outreach, and a desire to make a positive impact. Include specific projects or committees on which the volunteer was involved, such as an advisory board, department project, or other activities.
Nominations
Please include the following in your nomination:
a. Primary Job Classification and Performance:
b. Leadership Qualities:
c. Significant Self-Improvement (college, training, seminars, etc., for criminal justice-related areas)
d. Other Accomplishments (awards, department activities)
2. Articulate the positive impact this individual has on the department/community. Address the award’s criteria as listed above.
3. Include supporting documentation when available, such as case reports, photographs, posters, newsletters, media accounts, etc.