The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and Axon Police Officer of the Year Award is designed to recognize and honor police officers who have demonstrated exceptional valor, bravery, and dedication in the line of duty.

This award highlights officers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, often in life-threatening or high-risk situations, to protect the public, uphold justice, and demonstrate unwavering commitment to their communities.

The IACP/Axon Police Officer of the Year Award seeks to inspire excellence within the policing profession by celebrating acts of heroism, leadership, and exemplary service.
 

POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR FINALIST 
Officer Salvador Acevedo Jr.
California Highway Patrol

A case which was solved in 2024 initially began as a custody battle in 2009. A judge granted custody of a then eight-year-old to her father. Upon hearing the ruling, the mother fled the courthouse with the child. Officer Acevedo had heard about the kidnapping incident through the media and word of mouth. While Officer Acevedo was confident that investigators would find the suspect and her daughter, the case eventually went cold, and various rumors circulated regarding their whereabouts. Officer Acevedo saved identifying information on the suspect and daughter, including pictures, and would periodically research to find updates, often asking people familiar with the case.

Fifteen years after the kidnapping, on January 3, 2024, the suspect was involved in a traffic crash and upon receiving the report, Officer Acevedo recognized the name. After retrieving the pictures that he stored years ago, Officer Acevedo met with the officer who wrote the report and asked if the driver was the same as the person in the picture, which the officer affirmed.

Officer Acevedo then contacted the victim’s father who stated that his daughter was still missing. He also learned that the suspect had an active arrest warrant for the kidnapping that took place in 2009. With direction from Officer Acevedo, the officer who wrote the crash report reached out to the suspect, asking her to come to the station to discuss the accident. Upon her arrival, Officer Acevedo conducted a voluntary interview wherein the suspect confessed to kidnapping her daughter. The daughter, who was then 24 years old, was alive and well. The suspect was later convicted for kidnapping.
 

POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS 
Officer Jamal Mitchell (Posthumous) 
Officer Nick Kapinos
Officer Luke Kittock
Officer Eric Withanom
Minneapolis Police Department, Minnesota

On May 30, 2024, the Minneapolis Police Department received a call that two males had been found deceased inside an apartment with apparent gunshot wounds to the head. After fleeing from the scene, the suspect began randomly assaulting pedestrians. In an attempt to rob a male of his scooter, another community member intervened by striking the suspect with his car and breaking his leg.

Officer Jamal Mitchell was the first to arrive and saw two people that needed immediate medical assistance. He approached an injured male, who he believed to be a victim, but was in fact the suspect. The suspect then produced a handgun and fired, striking Officer Mitchell several times. As firefighters arrived, the suspect concealed his weapon and attempted to lure them to assist him. When they hesitated in their approach, the suspect opened fire, prompting the firefighters to take cover and notify dispatch.

Officers Luke Kittock and Eric Withanom arrived at the scene and were immediately met with the suspect's gunfire. Officer Kittock deployed his patrol rifle while Officer Withanom used a ballistic shield to protect themselves and the firefighters. Officer Kittock discharged his rifle at the suspect several times and eventually stopped the threat, despite sustaining a facial injury. When Officer Nicholas Kapinos arrived amid the gunfire, he did not hesitate to return fire and provide cover for the officers rendering aid to Officer Mitchell.

Tragically, Officer Mitchell succumbed to his injuries that day, and his family and the Minneapolis Police Department continue to grieve the loss. Because of their bravery and willingness to run toward the gunfire, these four officers protected the community and prevented additional people from losing their lives.

POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Inspector General of Police Waseem Ahmad Khan
Punjab Police, Pakistan

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Waseem Ahmad Khan sprang into action upon learning of a grave terrorist threat against the 2024 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, an event of immense diplomatic significance. Intelligence received from Sister Intelligence Agencies (SIA) on October 14, 2024, indicated that a known terrorist organization had planned a large-scale attack in Islamabad to sabotage the summit. The severity of the threat demanded immediate action, and rather than delegating, IGP Khan took it upon himself to dismantle the network behind the plot.

With limited time, he mobilized intelligence, operational, and technical resources, personally leading the effort to identify and locate the perpetrators. Through an exhaustive overnight analysis of raw intelligence, he pieced together vital information, utilizing advanced facial recognition technology from the National Database and Registration Authority to identify a suspected suicide bomber. Simultaneously, he tracked down the bomber’s local handler, using sophisticated WhatsApp tracking of Afghan commanders. The intelligence was rapidly processed, revealing the suspect’s location. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the IGP personally took charge of the surveillance operation.

On October 15, 2024, IGP Khan and his team maintained watch over the suspect, methodically verifying his movements. Instead of a premature move that could jeopardize the mission, IGP Khan exhibited tactical patience, waiting until the suspect and his handler were together, ensuring their direct association before executing the operation. The suspects emerged from a flat on a motorbike, and IGP Khan and his team discreetly followed. The suspects opened fire on the officers, but IGP Khan and his team fearlessly gave chase amidst the hail of bullets, capturing the suspect’s handler. After a thorough and coordinated search, the IGP was able to locate items belonging to the suspect and additional critical evidence. He personally interrogated the handler, expertly extracting intelligence that led to the unraveling of the entire terrorist network. Inspector General Khan’s actions directly ensured the safety of Pakistan’s citizens.

POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR FINALIST
Officer Luke Alderman
Winston-Salem Police Department, North Carolina

On November 17, 2024, Officer Luke Alderman responded to a reported home invasion. The caller indicated that a male subject, later identified to be her ex-boyfriend, was attempting to break into her home. The caller stated that the suspect was armed with a gun and was pulling air conditioning units out of the windows in his attempts to enter the residence. As Officer Alderman arrived on the scene and exited his patrol vehicle, two gunshots were discharged inside the residence.

Immediately following the gunshots, several small children and a female ran outside. The woman was screaming and yelling that the suspect was in her room and that her baby was still inside. Officer Alderman drew his weapon and approached the residence as more gunshots could be heard from inside. A small child could be seen in the front window where the suspect had tried to enter the residence. With no regard for his own safety, Officer Alderman approached, pulled the child out of the window, and returned her to the mother’s waiting arms.

As more gunshots rang out, Officer Alderman took cover behind a small tree at the rear of the house to further assess the situation. Only seconds later, the suspect exited the side door of the residence, armed with a handgun. Officer Alderman discharged his pistol, striking the suspect and stopping the threat of violence. The suspect would later succumb to his injuries.

Two small children were located unharmed inside the residence, as well as a deceased male. Due to the heroic actions of Officer Alderman, a mother and her six small children were uninjured and safely evacuated from the home. While the loss of even one life is tragic, Officer Alderman’s actions, in the presence of an extremely chaotic, violent, and challenging scene, prevented more lives from being lost during this horrific domestic violence incident.
 

The IACP and Axon look forward to honoring the finalists at the 2025 IACP Annual Conference and Exposition. To learn more about IACP 2025, visit the conference website.