ORLANDO, Fla. – We were invited to attend the St. Cloud Police Department’s annual awards ceremony.
It’s a special event where the department takes time to recognize the hard work of the people who make it run every day, from officers on the street to the many professionals behind the scenes who support the mission of public safety.
Events like this are important because policing is a team effort, and it’s not often that the public gets to see the moments where departments pause and recognize their own.
We were there simply to support the men and women of the St. Cloud Police Department and highlight the work they do in our community. But to our surprise, the department honored us with their Community Partnership Award.
And I say “us” very intentionally.
Trooper Steve doesn’t exist without the support of this community. The streams, the conversations, the questions about traffic laws, the moments we share highlighting great work happening across Central Florida...all of that only works because you show up, watch, and participate.
So while my name may be attached to the award, it really belongs to all of you who continue to support what we’re building together.
During the evening, we also had the chance to sit down and have a quick conversation with one of the St. Cloud city council members about the importance of partnerships between local government, law enforcement, and the community.
Moments like this remind me that strong communities don’t happen by accident. They happen when people work together, support one another, and take pride in where they live.
And it was an honor to be part of that celebration.