LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — Officers with the Leavenworth Police Department say they do so much more than just solve crimes and make arrests.
As part of National Police Week, one officer is being honored for going above and beyond.
Officer Sarah Moreno said she hopes her special care packages will be a light for some children during their darkest moments.
“We can be pretty helpful in a lot of situations, and some people look at us in a different sort of limelight, good and bad. But, it`s good to see a good limelight of a police officer doing something great,” Moreno said.
She said it doesn’t take much, just a stuffed animal toting a plastic junior police badge and a couple Royals baseball cards.
But one smaller item is crucial.
“There’s a business card in here. It says my name and then its got the non-emergency phone number and it`s got 9-1-1,” Moreno said.
Moreno, a patrol officer with Leavenworth Police Department for five years, said she keeps the special care packages in the trunk of her car. The bags are intended to help help victimized children, cases she deals with a lot.
Moreno estimates she`s given out more than 50 care packages.
“Usually victims of a sexual crime or something serious, and we have to come in there and be professional. At the same time, you have the condolences you would have for that child as well because they are going through this, and this is the worst time of their life. I tried to figure out how I can make part of that worst part of their life be a little better,” Moreno said.
Her selfless act is getting noticed, not only from the community, but through her peers.
Leavenworth Police Chief Pat Kitchens awarded Moreno with a “Police Recognition Award” before city leaders Wednesday.
Moreno was praised for going beyond her job description and having a great attitude to match.
“It felt good. It felt good. It’s a humbling profession, but in those type of situations, it does feel good that I did something to make somebody else feel good,” Moreno said.
Two other officers, Jacqueline Cormier and Elijah Bagley, were acknowledged and awarded a “Police Life-Saving Award” for rescuing a 68-year-old woman who fell unconscious.