FBI National Academy, becoming /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014 at the time /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014 only the second UCFPD member ever selected for the program, an honor reserved for roughly 1% of law enforcement professionals nationwide./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nThough he rarely seeks the spotlight, Freeman is known across campus for being available at any hour and for consistently putting others first. His humor and quick wit bring levity to public safety operations, and his passion, compassion, and dedication continue to make the department a stronger and more supportive place to work. /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nChief/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s Award: UCFPD/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s Emergency Response Team /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nThe second Chief/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s Award recognizes a unit whose exceptional coordination, discipline and professionalism have set a new standard for campus safety. In 2025, UCFPD/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s Emergency Response Team was called into action 24 times /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014 often with little warning /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014 to manage complex multi/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011agency operations across UCF and Central Florida./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nDespite the size and unpredictability of these events, the team delivered extraordinary results: not a single major incident, no arrests and no use of force. Their success was no accident. It was the product of rigorous training, meticulous planning and seamless communication, all anchored in a steadfast commitment to safety and de/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011escalation./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n
/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nCrisis Intervention Officer of the Year: Allison Sienkiewicz /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201917 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nSupporting the mental health and well/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011being of students is one 色花堂PD/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s highest priorities, and Officer Allison Sienkiewicz /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201917 exemplified that commitment throughout 2025. During one crisis response, she helped a student who had engaged in self/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011harm by creating a calm, supportive environment, and guiding both the student and their parent through the Baker Act process with empathy and clarity. In another call, she assisted a student experiencing suicidal ideations, taking the time to build trust, validate fears, and ensure the student felt safe and heard. Because of Sienkiewicz/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s steady presence, compassion, and exceptional crisis intervention skills, both students received the critical, life/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011saving support they needed./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nDispatcher of the Year: Nattia Lawrence /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201924 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nDispatchers play a crucial role in every incident, serving as the steady voice callers rely on in their most stressful moments. Nattia Lawrence /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201924 embodies that responsibility each day through her friendly, approachable demeanor and her willingness to assist at any moment. She has taken clear initiative to expand her knowledge and impact within the department /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014 participating in the mentorship program, joining the Public Safety Events Committee and pursuing her master/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s degree while working full time. Her positive attitude, responsiveness, and reliability make her someone both colleagues and the community depend on, earning her this well/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011deserved recognition./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nDUI Officer of the Year: Adriel Rivera Aponte and Isabella Sanchez /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nDUI enforcement plays a vital role in keeping our roads safe, and even a single impaired/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011driving arrest has the potential to prevent a tragedy. This year, Adriel Rivera Aponte and Isabella Sanchez share this recognition, each recording four DUI arrests. While the numbers may be smaller due to UCFPD/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s limited jurisdiction, their work demonstrates strong initiative in this critical area and the department/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s frequent participation in countywide operations led by partner agencies. Their efforts underscore the continued importance of DUI enforcement and set a positive example for proactive policing across the department./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nField Training Officer of the Year: Jonathan Mattingly /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nUCFPD sets high expectations for new officers, offering a comprehensive training program that includes six weeks of classroom instruction followed by three months of paired, on/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011the/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011road training. In 2025, Officer Jonathan Mattingly trained two new officers through all three phases of the program, drawing on both his UCF experience and prior agency knowledge to support their growth. His trainees and his peers consistently praised his approach, noting his ability to adapt training techniques to each officer/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s individual needs. His patience, insight and strong leadership mindset set a high standard for those entering the profession, making him a well/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011deserved choice for Field Training Officer of the Year./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nOfficer of the Year: Jeffrey Hopkins /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201922 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nCorporal Jeffrey Hopkins /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201922 is being recognized for his exceptional leadership, professionalism and commitment to mentoring the next generation of officers. Known as one of the most proactive and knowledgeable members of the agency, he approaches every situation with confidence, patience and genuine care. As a field training officer, he guided multiple new hires through their early months on the job, taking the time to explain complex situations, build their confidence and model the highest standards of policing. His colleagues consistently praise his ability to make others feel supported and welcomed, strengthening teamwork and fostering a healthy, positive culture across the department. His strong decision/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011making, steady demeanor and dedication to excellence have left a lasting impact on his squad and the agency, contributing to his well/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011earned promotion in 2025./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nPartner of the Year: Millicent Downer /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nThough much of her work happens behind the scenes, the entire employee lifecycle /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014especially for UCFPD/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s sworn officers /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014 relies on Downer/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s leadership, expertise and attention to detail. She oversees all human resources functions for Public Safety and, together with her team, supports the broader Administration and Finance Division. From recruitment, hiring, and onboarding to retention, professional development, and offboarding, she guides every step with clarity, professionalism, and steady poise. Her commitment to excellence and her advocacy for employees make her an invaluable partner to the department. /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nProfessional Staff Member of the Year: Jennifer Floyd /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nStepping into an expanded role this year, Jennifer Floyd quickly established herself as a driving force behind several major security initiatives at UCF. She played a central role in advancing key projects, including the commissioning of the new College of Nursing building and the campus/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011wide upgrade of more than 500 security cameras /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014 an effort that significantly strengthened the university/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s safety infrastructure. Amid significant staffing transitions, Floyd helped maintain steady operations while coordinating hundreds of maintenance requests and pursuing advanced professional training to support the department/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s evolving needs. She also led nearly 50 training sessions for teams across the university, ensuring that critical security systems remained reliable and well/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011managed./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nProfessional Staff Supervisor of the Year: Benita Harrison /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201925MPA /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nBenita Harrison /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201925MPA supports the chief of police in daily operations, helped guide the department through organizational changes in 2025 and is a trusted source of knowledge on university processes. She chairs multiple committees with fairness and precision, oversees department events with outstanding organization, and consistently creates positive experiences for staff and partners. She also mentors her work/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011study student and provided significant support to the Central Florida Criminal Justice Association/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s executive board last year. Dependable and dedicated, Harrison exemplifies excellence in supervision./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nRookie of the Year: Kamila Otero /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201924 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nOfficer Kamila Otero /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201924/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s journey with the department began as an intern, later becoming UCFPD/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s first police cadet /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014 a role that helped establish a pathway now used to develop future officers. After graduating from the academy at the top of her class academically, she transitioned seamlessly into patrol and quickly proved herself dependable, capable, and deeply committed to serving the campus community. In just one year, she has handled a wide range of calls with confidence and compassion, actively seeks feedback, supports her squad, and represents the department with enthusiasm through outreach and engagement. Her positive attitude, initiative and early impact truly set her apart./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nSenior Leader of the Year: Laura Valle /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201917MA /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nLaura Valle /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201917MA consistently stepped beyond her responsibilities to support her team/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014taking on extensive on/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011call duties to prevent burnout and ensure uninterrupted crisis/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011response services for the campus community. Her expertise reached national and statewide levels through her authorship in a crisis/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011response manual and her training of new crisis responders. She also secured major grant funding to expand the threat management team, led extensive campus outreach and successfully rebuilt and staffed her unit during a challenging period. Through it all, she led with integrity, compassion and a steady presence that earned the trust of colleagues and partners across UCF./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nSworn Supervisor of the Year: Danielle Adams /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201913 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201920MS /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nDanielle Adams /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201913 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201920MS leads the Threat Management Team through some of the department/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s most sensitive and high/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011risk cases, approaching every situation with calm judgment and compassion. She manages a demanding workload with remarkable organization and focus, while also bringing valuable expertise from her task/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011force work, which strengthens partnerships and improves the department/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s overall preparedness. She advocates for officer wellness and mental health, ensuring officers receive vital crisis intervention training and provides support whenever needed. She played a key role in implementing the department/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s new threatmanagement software and continues to lead confidently during Emergency Response Team deployments. Respected, trusted and consistently steady under pressure, she embodies what it means to be a strong and thoughtful leader./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nTeam of the Year: Department of Security (Steven Freund, Jarrell Odom /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201918 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201923MS, Jennifer Floyd and Nick Cottone) /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nThe Department of Security works tirelessly behind the scenes to support not just public safety, but the entire UCF community. They collaborate daily with Facilities, Athletics and colleges across campus while managing access control, license plate readers, guard services, and UCF/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s complex camera system. Their work has a campus/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2011wide impact. The cameras they maintain are essential to criminal investigations and help keep students, faculty, staff and visitors safe at major events like Spirit Splash, football games, and free expression events. In 2025, they met the task of replacing 500 cameras before the end of the fiscal year /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014 an achievement that secured leadership/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s support for additional funding to continue modernizing the system./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nLifesaving Award: Andres Uzcategui and Ethan Temperato /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u201924 /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nWhen a call came in reporting a woman unconscious and not breathing, officers Andres Uzcategui and Ethan Temperato acted immediately. Upon assessing her condition, they discovered she had no pulse. Uzcategui began lifesaving CPR while Temperato secured the scene to ensure responders had space to work. The patient stopped breathing multiple times, but the officers/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019 persistence brought her back each time and kept her alive until medical personnel arrived. Because of their quick action and unwavering determination, the woman survived. /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nLifesaving Award: Mike Rivera and Hayden Bonas /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/nUpon arriving at the scene of a medical emergency, Officer Michael Rivera immediately began CPR and rescue breaths on a student who had fainted and was unresponsive. Officer Hayden Bonas quickly cleared the room and retrieved an AED to assist. Working together, they stabilized the student until medical personnel arrived. In addition to this incident, Rivera administered lifesaving Narcan in a separate medical emergency and now teaches CPR and first aid to future law enforcement recruits /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2014 further extending his impact beyond the calls he responds to./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The annual awards ceremony celebrates the achievements of officers, staff members and community partners./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":151451,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"lazy_load_responsive_images_disabled":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[15992,5],"tags":[12891,40871,202,4911],"tu_author":[],"class_list":["post-151432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-colleges","tag-campus-safety","tag-operational-excellence","tag-alumni","tag-ucf-police-department"],"yoast_head":"/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n
Honoring UCF Public Safety/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/u2019s 2025 Achievements | 色花堂 News/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/t /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/t /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/t /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/t /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/t /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/t /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/151432/n