Announcement | December 14, 2020

The 2020 Champions for Kids

In the midst of a difficult 2020, we recognized eighteen Fight Crime: Invest in Kids members who have, through it all, shown a commitment to promoting solutions that help kids succeed in life and steer clear of crime.

The 2020 Champion for Kids Award Recipients:

  • Chief Paco Balderrama, Fresno, CA
  • Sheriff Floyd Bonner, Shelby Co, TN
  • Chief Steve Casstevens, Buffalo Grove, IL
  • Chief Sean Fagan, Rolla, MO
  • Prosecuting Attorney D.J. Hilson, Muskegon County, MI
  • District Attorney Lemuel Martinez, 13th Judicial District, NM
  • State’s Attorney Joe McMahon, Kane County, IL
  • Sheriff Walt McNeil, Leon County, FL
  • Sheriff Neil Miller, Buffalo Co., NE
  • Chief Gerald Moore, Salem, OR
  • State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim, Lake County, IL
  • District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, Sacramento, CA
  • Chief Geoff Spalding, Astoria, OR
  • Sheriff Tony Spurlock, Douglas County, CO
  • Chief Bryan Waugh, Kearney, NE
  • Chief Ron Wiles, Grand Blanc Township, MI
  • Chief Michael Wynn, Pittsfield, MA
  • Chief Michael Yaniero, Jacksonville, NC

Chief Paco Balderrama, Fresno, CA

Chief Paco Balderrama has served as a major leader on afterschool efforts. From early conversations about his PAL program that helped shape our research report – to support that made our webinar a great success – you were an integral part to Fight Crime: Invest in Kids’ work in Oklahoma. We deeply admire and appreciate his passion for programs that help kids succeed. We are excited to welcome Chief Balderrama to California!

Chief Paco Balderrama

Sheriff Floyd Bonner, Shelby Co, TN

This award was given to Sheriff Floyd Bonner in recognition of all he has done to ensure more kids are able to grow up to succeed. Soon after becoming a member of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids last year, he joined us at the Porter-Leath Early Childhood Academy to connect for policymakers and the media the link between public safety and ensuring children early on are getting the care and education needed to grow up to be successful. He has demonstrated over and over again his eagerness to help more kids get access to these research-proven programs.

Sheriff Floyd Bonner

Chief Steve Casstevens, Buffalo Grove, IL

Over the years — as a police chief, in his work with the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, on the Fight Crime: Invest in Kids National Leadership Council, and now as President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police — Chief Steve Casstevens has been a staunch advocate for children and families in Illinois and across the country. His prominence as a public voice for effective crime prevention was evidenced this year by his co-authorship of an opinion piece in The Houston Chronicle. His leadership has been essential in consistent policy victories for children and families on both a state a federal level.

NLC - Steven Casstevens

Chief Sean Fagan, Rolla, MO

Chief Sean Fagan has served as a critical support and leader this year in Missouri. As Fight Crime: Invest in Kids has picked up it work in Missouri, Chief Fagan’s willingness to help out, whether it be emails to policymakers or help with recruitment, has been critical to our efforts. We know that we can count on him and hope that we can continue to work together closely.

Chief Sean Fagan

Prosecuting Attorney D.J. Hilson, Muskegon County, MI

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids deeply appreciates and admires Prosecuting Attorney D.J. Hilson’s commitment to helping kids in Michigan. Whether it be promoting the benefits of afterschool programs through our webinar, making the case directly to lawmakers in meetings, helping us recruit, or just generally being a great partner, we know we can count on you and always enjoy working together. Because of the hard work of leaders like him, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids continues to be an impactful influence in helping kids succeed and keeping communities safe.

Prosecuting Attorney D.J. Hilson

District Attorney Lemuel Martinez, 13th Judicial District, NM

We at Fight Crime: Invest in Kids wanted to express our gratitude for the work that District Attorney Lemuel Martinez has done over his two decades in your role as District Attorney, especially as a member of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. From legislator meetings to sign on letters to helping introduce Fight Crime: Invest in Kids to other district attorneys, he has done so much to help kids, and we wish him the best and hope to continue working with him as he enters the next stages of his life.

District Attorney Lemuel Martinez

State’s Attorney Joe McMahon, Kane County, IL

As a long-time member of the Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois Executive Committee, State’s Attorney Joe McMahon has been a staunch advocate for children and families in Illinois and across the country. This year, State’s Attorney McMahon was a powerful, effective spokesman for the crime-prevention benefits of quality home visiting programs for new and expectant parents. As McMahon steps down this month from his role as Kane County State’s Attorney, we know he will continue to be a powerful voice for children in his future endeavors.

State’s Attorney Joe McMahon

Sheriff Walt McNeil, Leon County, FL

Sheriff Walt McNeil has contributed a great deal to Fight Crime: Invest in Kids since becoming a member. From being a panelist for the virtual panel discussion on out-of-school-time programs, to signing onto multiple letters, to joining the National Leadership Council, we thank him for all of his significant work.

Leon County Florida Sheriff Walt McNeil

Sheriff Neil Miller, Buffalo Co., NE

We gave this award in recognition of Sheriff Neil Miller’s participation with Fight Crime: Invest in Kids over the past 15 years. Not only has he added his name to many letters Fight Crime: Invest in Kids has sent to legislators in Lincoln, NE, and Washington, DC, he also helped get the federal home visiting program –– the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program –– renewed after having an op-ed published and meeting with Congressman Adrian Smith. And, he was featured this year in a video on the need for early childhood care and education programs in communities like Central Nebraska, helping connect the link between public safety and providing kids access to programs that help them succeed.

Sheriff Neil Miller

Chief Gerald Moore, Salem, OR

This award was presented to Chief Gerald Moore in recognition of his support of the most powerful weapons against crime: proven programs that keep kids from becoming criminals in the first place. Because of his commitment to serve on many boards and committees that impact the lives of children and families, and his strong involvement in Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, the lives of hundreds of children will forever be changed.

Sheriff Gerald Moore

State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim, Lake County, IL

As the Illinois Co-Chair of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim has been a reliable advocate for children and families, as one may readily discern from this 2019 WGN-TV interview. His wisdom, energy, and commitment have been both inspiring and indispensable, as — during his tenure — law enforcement leaders helped win consistent funding increases for quality preschool, child care, home visiting, and afterschool in Illinois. As his career as Lake County State’s Attorney draws to a close, we know he will continue to be a powerful voice for children.

000FCIK_bio_Nerheim_282x282

District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, Sacramento, CA

In years past, District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert has consistently shown up and supported Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. Whether that’s attending our Policy Days in Sacramento, addressing the CDAA Roundtable and encouraging her colleagues to join our organization, or speaking on the Capitol steps for a rally on afterschool. And this year, she went above and beyond, dedicating her time and adapting during a pandemic by joining us in a virtual meeting with Asm. Kevin McCarty, serving as a steller panelist on our afterschool webinar and report release, and signing on to an op-ed supporting afterschool programs in California. Because of her hard work, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids and other advocacy organizations were able to successfully starve off a $100 million budget cut to afterschool programs.

District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert

Chief Geoff Spalding, Astoria, OR

We are thrilled to present Chief Geoff Spalding with this award for his extraordinary commitment and leadership toward helping kids get the right start in life. His continued support – in the forms of meeting and connecting with policymakers, participating in press events, and time after time, answering the call to ask for the resources – will make life better for the children in your community, the state and the nation.

Chief Geoff Spalding

Sheriff Tony Spurlock, Douglas County, CO

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids is honored to present Sheriff Tony Spurlock. His support of Fight Crime in Colorado – in the forms of publishing an op-ed supporting afterschool programs, signing letters to legislators, participating in “Cops and Tots,” and more – are a testament to his commitment to the kids in Colorado. We are honored to present him with this recognition as a token of our appreciation.

Sheriff Tony Spurlock

Chief Bryan Waugh, Kearney, NE

Since joining just last year, Chief Bryan Waugh has gone above and beyond. His participation in the Thriving Communities event in Kearney last year helped us get resources that allowed us to build a campaign focused on the need for early childhood care and education programs in communities like Central Nebraska. And allowing Fight Crime: Invest in Kids to film an interview with him for this Rural Early Childhood campaign also has helped us connect the link between public safety and providing kids access to programs that help them succeed.

Chief Bryan Waugh

Chief Ron Wiles, Grand Blanc Township, MI

Chief Ron Wiles’ has demonstrated his passion for helping kids in Michigan throughout the five years he’s been a member. Whether it be promoting the benefits of afterschool programs through our webinar, making the case directly to lawmakers in meetings, helping us recruit, or just generally being a great partner, we know we can count on him to do whatever it takes to help kids succeed and keep communities safe.

Chief Ron Wiles

Chief Michael Wynn, Pittsfield, MA

Chief Michael Wynn has shown a deep commitment to helping kids in Massachusetts. Whether it be driving to Boston to speak to advocates and participate in lawmaker meetings, helping recruit more members, or joining local efforts to promote the benefits of afterschool, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids can always count on him, and we always enjoy working together.

Michael J. Wynn Headshot

Chief Michael Yaniero, Jacksonville, NC

Chief Michael Yaniero has long been a valued member of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. This year alone, he submitted an Op-Ed about the impact of the pandemic on young children, signed cover letters to help us recruit other members from North Carolina to join Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, signed onto our national sign on letter, and joined the National Leadership Council.

Chief Mike Yaniero Headshot

States

  1. National