Campus Police Investigator receives recognition from Help in Crisis

(Tahlequah, Okla.) On Monday, Oct. 6, Campus Police Investigator Jimmy Flores received the Deana Franke Award for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention from Help in Crisis, a local agency that focuses on providing crisis intervention and support/referral services to Wagoner, Cherokee, Adair and Sequoyah counties.

Employees of Help in Crisis select the nominees each year for the award, and the individual with the most votes is selected as the recipient at the organizations annual meeting.

The group created the award to honor former executive director of Help in Crisis, Deana Franke. It is awarded to an individual who demonstrates ongoing energy and commitment to preventing violence against women and children.

Sgt. Flores has been with NSU for six years, and through several partnerships, the NSU Police Department stays current on training and protocol related to domestic violence and sexual assault. NSU PD participates in year-round training and is also a member of the Cherokee County Multidisciplinary Team, which provides assistance to local agencies and their victims.

A spokesperson for Help in Crisis explained that Sgt. Flores was selected as the recipient because he continually goes above and beyond, actively participating in sexual assault prevention, not only on NSUs campus, but also in the community.

It was a true honor to receive this recognition, Flores said. I was very surprised when told I would be receiving the award. But in all honesty, the real heroes are the crime survivors. They deserve all the attention.

He explained that staying up-to-date on policies, techniques, and information regarding Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault is so important because crime victims and survivors deserve the absolute very best service and attention from law enforcement. It is a law enforcement officers duty to do everything they can to make people feel safe, to educate them, and to give them peace of mind.

Flores attributes his determination and diligence within the police force at NSU to his desire to help people. He comes from a family who are currently or have been in law enforcement or involved with some type of community service position; therefore, helping people comes second nature to him.

Last year, his NSU peers also named Sgt. Flores as the 2013 Officer of the Year.