Herndon Police Chief DeBoard Recognized By Virginia Police Chiefs

HERNDON, VA — Herndon Police Chief Maggie DeBoard was one of the recipients of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation's (VACP) Award for Outstanding Contribution to Law Enforcement, according to a VACP blog post. DeBoard and VACP Executive Director Dana Schrad each received the award on Aug. 23, during VACP's annual conference in Williamsburg.

Rarely given, the award "recognizes an individual's conspicuous act or achievement in the performance of their duty that results in an exceptional and responsible contribution to the law enforcement profession here in the Commonwealth," according to the VACP post.

In presenting the awards to DeBoard and Schrad, Ashland Police Chief Doug Goodman, the VACP Awards Committee chairman, noted the remarkable events over the last 14 months, including the murder of George Floyd, that have transformed the law enforcement community.

Within 10 days of Floyd's death, VACP board members, including DeBoard who was acting in her role as VACP president, presented Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam with five key areas they recommended for professional improvement. Eventually, almost all of the recommendations would be enacted.

Goodman applauded the efforts of DeBoard and Schrad for the countless meetings they had with members of the Virginia General Assembly to discussed proposed legislation based on VACP's recommendations.

“Many of these meetings occurred at night, on weekends, and even in the wee hours of the morning," Goodman said, in the blog post. "The commitment by our OCLE Award recipients during this difficult time in our profession undoubtedly saved Virginia law enforcement from the passage of bills that would have stripped us of our abilities to maintain the safety and security of our communities. Their heroic efforts certainly met the criteria of this award in that they provided an exceptional and responsible contribution to the profession.”

(1/3) What an honor! Chief DeBoard and Executive Director Dana Schrad were recognized by the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation with the 2021 Outstanding Contribution to Law Enforcement Award. pic.twitter.com/O2Y5b5k4Ok
— Herndon Police (@HerndonPolice) September 8, 2021