Last week, Citizens’ Crime Watch of Miami-Dade held its 36th Annual Awards Ceremony, and I thank the 500 attendees for their participation.

We were extremely pleased with all the elected officials that attended, giving support to their crime watchers. I was also grateful to all the Police Chiefs from the various municipalities and Director Loftus from Miami-Dade Police for attending. Partnership is the “keyword” in crime prevention and here in South Florida we are very blessed to have such partnerships. I want to thank Chairman Joe Martinez for being our event chairman and John V. Gillies, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Miami division, for delivering his words of encouragement in his keynote speech, and for his acknowledgement of the importance of law enforcement and citizens working together.

This year’s awards went to:

• Citizen Involvement: Kevin Morejon – Town of Miami Lakes

• Chairperson of the Year: county: Fernanda Katz-Junkins – Kendall District; municipality: Chuck Ross – Village of Biscayne Park

• Crime Watcher of the Year: county: Eleanor Quigley – Waterways Crime Watch – Midwest District; municipality: Fortuna Smukler – Eastern Shores Crime Watch, North Miami Beach

• Police Officer of the Year: county: Leyane Casas – Miami-Dade Police – Northwest District; municipality: Manual Morales – City of Miami – Upper Eastside

• Youth Crime Watch Student of the Year: Ryan Caselli – Frank C. Martin K-8 Center

School Principal of the Year: Pamela F. Brown – Frank C. Martin K-8 Center

Congratulations to these winners, they truly are shining stars for their community!

We are very pleased that this year once again Target Stores was one of our partners and presented our Youth Crime Watch with an $8,000 donation towards our programs in the schools. I also want to thank Miami-Dade School Board members Larry Feldman and Perla Tabares Hantman for their sponsorship of the Principal/Student of the Year table.

I would like to now take a point of personal privilege in sharing with you an issue that is truly important. Our event takes a lot of work and money. Much has been said about commissioners and their discretionary funds. Well folks, our event would not have been possible for many of our crime watchers had their tables not been sponsored by their district commissioners.

Our organization deals with some very low to moderate income communities and if it weren’t for the county commissioners in those districts, these fabulous hard working volunteers would not have been able to attend the ceremony. So to all that criticize the discretionary funds, know that commissioners Joe Martinez, Jose Pepe Diaz, Lynda Bell, Dennis Moss, Audrey Edmonson, Sally Heyman, Jean Monestine, Javier Souto, Rebeca Sosa sponsored tables for these volunteers that have made a great difference in their community. We are very pleased that Commissioner Barbara Jordan sponsored an ad in our Journal and Commissioner Esteban Bovo sponsored 2 tickets and Commissioner Xavier Suarez attended the event.

Without these funds many of the great non-profits in this community could not exist. And for those that don’t know, we have to account for every penny we get from the commissioners!

October is Crime Prevention Month. There will be different events throughout the month. Check with our office to see if there is one near you ,and join us.