Officers of the Dallas Police Department were honored in the annual Friends of the Dallas Police Department Awards Banquet held at the Hyatt Regency on November 15.
According to the DPD Beat, members of the department were honored for their dedication and commitment to Dallas residents and the police department.
Sergeant Richard Santiesteban & (Non-Sworn) Manager Susan Kerr were awarded the Marvin R. Bullard Supervisor of the Year award. According to the DPD Beat, Santiesteban is a 28-year police veteran who performs at the highest level as an investigative supervisor.
Kerr supervises twelve employees while also overseeing the Automated Fingerprint Identification System and National Integrated Ballistic Network Units.
Detective Christopher Hight went home with the James R. Leavelle Detective of the Year award. The detective of the year award is given in honor of James R. Leavelle. Leavelle, a veteran Homicide Detective, was handcuffed to Lee Harvey Oswald after Jack Ruby shot him following the assassination of President Kennedy.
Senior Corporal Francis, who has received over sixty commendations throughout his year of service, was awarded as the Field Training Officer of the Year. According to the DPD Beat, Francis demonstrates a high degree of leadership by successfully guiding, teaching, and documenting all recruits’ training in the department.
Officer Darryl Cytacki was awarded the Johnny Sides Rookie of the Year, while Reserve Officer Daniel Law went home with the Joe C. Jones Reserve Officer of the Year award.
Mathew Robertson, who joined the department in September 2015 as a multimedia specialist in the Personnel Division, received the James Taylor Non-Sworn Employee of the Year award. The DPD Beat noted that Robertson played a crucial role in updating the department and the public regarding COVID-19 protocols.
The John T. McCarthy Officer of the Year award was given to Senior Corporal Joann Sanchez.
Other awards such as the Friends of the Dallas Police College Scholarship, Medal of Honor, Medal of Valor, Meritorious Conduct, Meritorious Conduct Unit, Police Commendation, Life Saving, and the Police Shield were also handed out during the event.
