Barnstable Officer Receives National Policing Award

BARNSTABLE, MA — A Barnstable police officer was honored with a national policing award by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Garland announced Thursday that Officer Danielle St. Peter was one of 18 law enforcement officers from across the country to receive the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing.

School Resource Officer Tom Hart of the Walpole Police Department was also recognized.

"Officers St. Peter and Hart are exemplary representatives of our law enforcement community, and their selflessness and commitment to serving their communities is what earned them today’s honor," U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a statement.

The attorney general's award recognizes individual state, local, tribal and territorial police officers, deputies and troopers for exceptional efforts in community policing. The awarded officers and deputies have demonstrated active engagement with the community in one of three areas: innovations in community policing, criminal investigations, or field operations, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office.

This year, the Department of Justice received 185 nominations from 145 agencies, recognizing a total of 347 individual officers, deputies, and troopers. There were 39 states represented in the nomination pool, covering state, local, campus, sheriff and other agency types.

The work being honored this year reflects examples of law enforcement officers working closely with the community to build trust, solve problems, reduce crime, and improve public safety, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

"The work of law enforcement has always been difficult—but perhaps no more so than in the recent past, as officers have faced a host of significant challenges. The officers and deputies receiving this year’s awards demonstrate how so many go above and beyond, even in the midst of trying circumstances," Garland said in a statement.

The DOJ works closely with national law enforcement stakeholder groups during the award review period, taking advantage of their expertise and experience to determine the recipients in a competitive nomination process.