The Navajo County Attorney’s Office honored several individuals and businesses for their support of victims’ rights at the recent 5th Annual Navajo County Victims’ Rights Symposium.
The awards ceremony, which was held April 11, 2014 at the Our Lady of the Snow Catholic Church in Snowflake, acknowledged the achievements of those who actively seek to spread awareness of victims’ issues and rights, or support efforts to improve the condition of those who are victims of crime.
This year’s honorees include:
•Arizona Public Service, Co. (APS); Cholla Power Plant Manager Ed Seal accepted the “Navajo County Criminal Justice Distinguished Business Award” on behalf of the company, which has donated funds in support of (name specific programs/initiatives they’ve supported).
•Kirk Grugel, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Coordinator for Navajo County, was given the “Distinguished Victim Service Award,” for his years of personal commitment to growing and strengthening the CASA program in northeastern Arizona, as well as his dedication to the individuals he serves who have been victimized in some manner.
•Detective Salli Baldonado, Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, received the “Robert W. Varner, Jr. Distinguished Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Award.” She was cited for her compassion in dealing with victims and her diligence in searching out evidence during crime investigations to help secure convictions against perpetrators. Her expertise in forensic interviewing allows her to gain the trust of victims and elicit information that helps gain convictions against their offenders.
•Mike Lieby, reporter with the White Mountain Independent, received the first “Media Recognition Award” presented by symposium organizers. The award was introduced at this year’s symposium to recognize members of the media, like Lieby, who render responsible and respectful coverage of crime and crime victims in their reporting.
•Marcor Greenwood and Charlotte Hatch were honored for their work on the Navajo County Crime Victims’ Compensation Board, which evaluates claims and awards compensations to victims seeking restitution for the crimes perpetrated against them.
“Each of these award recipients has made significant contributions to our efforts to help victims of crimes in Navajo County,” said Navajo County Attorney Brad Carlyon. “What that means in the real world is that each of these people and APS, as a company, have made a difference in the lives of individuals. They’ve ensured victims are treated with dignity; they’ve helped us garner convictions and secure justice for people who have been harmed; they’ve helped us put victims on the path towards healing and regaining normalcy in their lives. The contributions of these award recipients are immeasurable and I’m grateful for each one of them.”
The theme of this year’s one-day conference was “Restoring the Balance of Justice for Children.” The event brought together local, state and national leaders in the world of children and crime, with a full day of workshops, the awards luncheon and keynote address, youth presentations and performances, and a raffle to raise funds for victims in Navajo County.
Navajo County received a grant from the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators to help underwrite this year’s event. VOCA is a non-profit organization that represents the 56 state agencies that distribute funds from the Victims of Crime Act to more than 4,000 direct victim assistance service providers.