Gov. Greg Abbott presented “Texas Officer Of The Year” awards to police across the state, including several from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Abbott presented the awards on September 6 at the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas annual convention. Officers from Arlington, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Tarrant County were honored for their service.
“Public safety starts with our law enforcement,” Abbott said in a press release. “You don’t get thanked enough for your bravery, for your valor, and what you do for our state. I am grateful for you and your work to keep our communities safe.”
Public safety starts with our law enforcement.
Today, we honored the best of the best in law enforcement with the CLEAT Officer of the Year Awards.
It is a privilege to work with our brave law enforcement officers to achieve our joint mission: making Texas safer every single… pic.twitter.com/cUWftCRrWZ
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 6, 2025
Fifteen police officers from across Texas received awards during the ceremony. This included Arlington Police Officer Harvey “Dick” Hill, Dallas Police Senior Cpl. Ilse Gerardo, Fort Worth Police Officer Ben Wright, and Tarrant County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Nelson.
Tim Ciesco, a media representative for Arlington police, told The Dallas Express the Arlington Police Association did most of the work on Hill’s award.
“Officer Dick Hill is an Arlington legend who has honorably served our community for more than 50 years,” Ciesco said. “We can think of no one who deserves this award more than him.”
Corbin Rubinson, senior public information officer for Dallas police, told The Dallas Express that Gerardo is an example of the department’s service.
“Her diligence in training her fellow officers and pursuing justice in the cases she works demonstrates the passionate work ethic that law enforcement needs, and our community deserves,” he said.
The Dallas Express contacted the Fort Worth Police Department regarding Wright’s award, but a representative did not respond in time for publication.
Robbie Hoy, public information officer for the Tarrant County sheriff, told The Dallas Express this award recognizes Nelson’s “outstanding leadership and innovation in law enforcement training.” Nelson is the sheriff’s office rangemaster who overhauled the firearms training program.
“I wanted to push our agency toward a mindset that embraces growth and confidence on the range,” Nelson said during the ceremony, per Hoy. “My goal was to help people see what they’re capable of and give them the opportunity to prove it.”
The award would not have been possible without support from coworkers, supervisors, and the community, according to Nelson. The sheriff’s office congratulated him on the “well-deserved honor.”
During the ceremony, Abbott emphasized the importance of law enforcement in keeping Texans safe and thanked police officers for their service. He also pointed to recent bail reform legislation, which helps keep violent criminals in jail ahead of trial, as The Dallas Express reported.
“You cannot go to work, you cannot go to school, you cannot go shopping, you cannot live in your community and feel safe without the support of law enforcement,” Abbott said. “We look forward to working with you to achieve our joint mission, and that is to make Texas safer every single day.”