JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – State Attorney Melissa Nelson’s office recognized local law enforcement agencies at the 7th annual Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer Awards ceremony on Wednesday.
The ceremony honored exceptional law enforcement work in agencies throughout Clay, Duval, and Nassau counties.
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Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters and Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper were all in attendance at the event, where 12 awards were presented.
Among those honored was late JSO corrections officer Brad McNew, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Valor, and Officer Malik Daricaud, who was wounded in the line of duty.
McNew was shot and killed in October while intervening in a domestic dispute on the Northside.
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Nelson commended McNew’s work before handing the award to his widow, Elda, and son, Liam, who accepted it on his behalf.
“He tirelessly served our community,” Nelson said. “He intervened when he saw a woman being beaten up at a gas station. Though off-duty, he did not ignore the incident. Instead, he got involved to protect her and because of this, he sacrificed his life.”
McNew’s legacy was described as “one of dedication to service and community.”
Officer Malik Daricaud’s son presented him with the Investigative Excellence Award.
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Dericaud was shot in the neck and suffered a spinal cord injury in March 2023 while door-knocking on the home of a wanted suspect.
Derricard was honored for his work in JSO’s Real Time Crime Center.
He used real-time cameras to find a missing 4-year-old boy and reunite him with his guardians.
“It is this investigative mindset and the protrol officer boots on the ground mentality he brings to the real time crime center that caught our attention,” the presenter said.
The award nominations were selected by members of the State Attorney’s Office who worked with the recipients on cases or witnessed their work.