IaAWP Officer of the Year Award Winners

Nominations for “Officer of the Year” are welcome one month before our Spring Training Conference. If you know of an officer that has gone above and beyond the call of duty, or does an extraordinary job everyday of the year, please take the time to submit their name for “Officer of the Year.”


2021 Officer Of The Year – Officer Erin Bennett – Humboldt, IA
2021 Honorary Officer Of The Year – Officer Amber Williams – Humboldt, IA

Officer Erin Bennett, Officer Amber Williams
Officer Erin Bennett (left) and Officer Amber Williams (right) are pictured with the gentleman they helped save after performing CPR while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. This gentleman is Erin’s neighbor and a fellow law enforcement officer.”

2020 Officer of the Year – Officer Whitni Pena – Muscatine, IA
2020 Honorary Officer of the Year – Officer Jolisa Colman – Muscatine, IA

Officer Whitni Pena, Officer Jolisa Colman
Officer Whitni Pena, Muscatine Chief Brett Talkington, Officer Jolisa Colman pictured after winning the Officer Of The Year award for 2020

2018 Officer of the Year – Trooper Karen Yaneff

Trooper Karen Yaneff with her Supervisors and Commissioner Stephan Bayens as she is awarded the Iowa Assoc. of Women Police Officer of the Year Award
Trooper Karen Yaneff with her Supervisors and Commissioner Stephan Bayens as she is awarded the Iowa Assoc. of Women Police Officer of the Year Award

2016 Officer of the Year– Amanda Clark, Marion Police Department

IaAWP Officer of the Year awarded to Amanda Clark, Marion Police
2016 IaAWP Officer of the Year awarded to Amanda Clark, Marion Police. Chief Joseph McHale, Marion Police, was present during the presentation.

2014 Officer of the Year – Donyell Raisbeck, Muscatine Police Department
Honorable Mention – Officer Jill Ohm, Sioux City Police Department

Officer of the Year award winner
Donyell Raisbeck (left) 2014 IaAWP Officer of the Year award winner. Jill Ohm (right) 2015 Honorable Mention.

2012 Officer of the Year – Deputy Robyn Hoppman, Washington County Sheriff’s Department


2011 Officer of the Year – Officer Tiffany Creekmur, Mason City Police Department


2000 Officer of the Year – Detective Sergeant Mary Jo Lessmeier, University of Iowa
Honorable Mention – Sergeant Jeanne Christensen, Davenport Police Department


1999 Officer of the Year – Lieutenant Donna Bacus, Iowa State Patrol


1997 Officer of the Year – Senior Trooper Yvonne Ohlensehlen, Iowa State Patrol


1995 Officer of the Year – Sergeant Frankie Wilson, Davenport Police Department


1994 Officer of the Year – Officer Barb Stence, Algona Police Department


1993 Officer of the Year – Assistant Chief Kayne Robinson, Des Moines Police Department


1992 Officer of the Year – Sergeant Ann Meyer, Waterloo Police Department


1991 Officer of the Year – Phyllis Henry, Iowa State University Department of Public Safety


1990 Officer of the Year – Officer Joanne Pollock, Des Moines Police Department


1989 Officer of the Year – Detective Linda Cherry, Ankeny Police Department