The Institute for Law Enforcement Administration ("ILEA") at The Center for American and International Law recognized Lexington Police Department Chief Lawrence Weathers as the 2021 honoree for ILEA's Ethical Courage Award and Dr. Alejandro "Alex" del Carmen, associate dean at Tarleton State University's School of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Public Administration, as the 2021 honoree for the Dr. Gary W. Sykes Award for Professional Achievement in Law. Weathers and Del Carmen received their awards at ILEA's annual Contemporary Issues and Ethics in Law Enforcement Conference held in Southlake, TX, on December 2.
2021 Ethical Courage Award | Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department
ILEA's Ethical Courage Award recognizes individuals for especially meritorious leadership or moral courage related to law enforcement ethics and integrity. Weathers is recognized for his commitment to ethical leadership during the challenging time of policing through the COVID-19 pandemic and the unrest surrounding racial protests in 2020. Weather's leadership ahead of the 2020 protests built a strong foundation with the officers and the community that proved fundamental in avoiding problems experienced in other cities.
2021 Dr. Gary W. Sykes Award | Dr. Alejandro del Carmen, Tarleton State University
The Dr. Gary W. Sykes Award for Professional Achievement in Law Enforcement recognizes experienced criminal justice professionals who have been instrumental in bringing about significant organizational change for the good of the profession. Del Carmen, an authority on race and crime with expertise on racial profiling in law enforcement, is recognized for his lifelong professional dedication to the training and education of thousands of law-enforcement professionals across the country and worldwide, including all Texas Police Chiefs since 2001 and international police officers attending the FBI National Academy in Quantico.
About the Institute for Law Enforcement Administration - The Institute for Law Enforcement Administration (ILEA) was founded in Dallas, Texas, in 1957 as a division of The Center for American and International Law (CAIL), an international nonprofit educational institution for lawyers, judges, and law enforcement professionals. ILEA has a well-established reputation as a leader in policing education in the United States and worldwide through innovative professional development, continuing education, and ethics/ethical decision-making programs that prepare law enforcement leaders to thrive in times of calm and during moments of crisis. Visit cailaw.org/ILEA to learn more.
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