UCF Public Safety honored officers, staff members and community partners at its annual awards ceremony, hosted by News 6 Traffic Expert “Trooper Steve” Montiero.
The department recognized recipients of its Lifesaving and Of the Year awards, while Chief Carl Metzger ’03MS presented the prestigious Chief’s Award to a longtime staff member. The ceremony also recognized winners of commendations, community partnership awards and physical abilities awards.
After being nominated and voted on by their peers, winners were selected and reviewed by award committee members.
2024 Chief’s, Of the Year and Lifesaving Award Winners
Chief’s Award: Christine Mouton ’98 ’01MS
With 20 years of dedication to UCF, Christine Mouton ’98 ’01MS exemplifies visionary, compassionate and effective leadership. Her unwavering commitment transformed Victim Services into a vital resource for those in need, significantly impacting Central Florida communities. Mouton’s leadership extends far beyond UCF, making her a key figure in disaster response organizations. She’s advocated for effective mass casualty responses and the support of families during crises. She’s responded to and established family and victim resource centers following 9/11, the Pulse nightclub tragedy and the Las Vegas mass casualty incidents. As an expert member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and FBI victim services committees, she helped guide the national response to victim assistance. Mouton’s extensive knowledge has made her a trusted resource in the Orlando community, addressing victim support and the root causes of violence. One of her most impressive accomplishments was helping develop a dating and domestic violence screening tool that identifies and support victims, creating a lasting impact on the UCF community and the Orlando area. Additionally, as Public Safety’s grant manager, she secured and managed more than $3 million in funding for four departments throughout her career.
Crisis Intervention Officer of the Year: Andres Carbone
Mental health remains a growing concern, with many in the UCF community facing challenges more than ever before. Thanks to Andres Carbone’s quick response to a call about a self-harm attempt, a student received the medical help she needed and was placed in protective custody. A week later, the student reached out to thank Carbone for his help and compassion, sharing that she was going through a tough time and recognized him from previous interactions, which made everything a little easier. Beyond this incident, Carbone also responded to two suicide attempts that resulted in Baker Acts.
Dispatcher of the Year: Grace Ehle
Dispatchers are an invaluable asset, not only supporting their agency and officers, but also serving as the reassuring voice the public depends on in emergencies. Grace Ehle is known for always staying one step ahead — anticipating the details officers need, checking security camera footage, reviewing prior contacts made or history with law enforcement. She maintains clear, concise communication in every situation, earning deep appreciation from several officers for her work.
DUI Officer of the Year: Isabella Sanchez
Ensuring our roads are safe is a shared responsibility, and the UCF Police Department (UCFPD) is dedicated to preventing impaired driving on campus and in the surrounding area. This award, based on statistics, recognizes the officer with the most DUI arrests of the year — seven in 2024. Although this number may seem modest, such arrests are often limited due to UCFPD’s jurisdictional boundaries and participation in county-wide details. Impaired drivers can cause devastating, life-altering crashes, and thanks to Isabella Sanchez’s efforts, seven potential tragedies were likely prevented.
Field Training Officer of the Year: Roman Watkins
UCFPD sets high expectations for new officers, offering a comprehensive training program that includes eight weeks of classroom instruction followed by three months of field training with an experienced officer. Roman Watkins has consistently been available for all types of training, from supporting new officers-in-training on the night shift to assisting his squad and the agency with defensive tactics and firearms training, and even serving as an additional instructor during last year’s block training. Even beyond the field training offer phase, he continued to offer guidance and assistance, making himself available during his family leave after the birth of his first child.
Officer of the Year: Freddie Tirado Jr.
Freddie Tirado Jr. works tirelessly to make UCF’s campus a safe place for students, faculty and staff. His persistence in checking buildings and areas that are known for having trespassers led to several arrests in the first quarter of the year. During one of these patrols, he caught a burglary suspect in the act, resulting in an arrest and the return of the stolen items to their owner. Recognizing the importance of community engagement, Tirado Jr. took it upon himself to mentor and guide younger officers. Always available to help lead training for his squad, he consistently demonstrates a positive, can-do attitude while on shift.
Partner of the Year: Administration and Finance Information Technology
This team is essential to departmental operations, consistently going above and beyond to ensure the safety, security and efficiency of public safety. Their responsibilities, which include managing equipment, developing and maintaining websites, and protecting data, are vital for daily functions. In 2024, their contributions were especially impactful during the relocation of the Victim Services office, where they ensured continuous service for victims. They upgraded systems and implemented new software, improving crime data management and communication reliability. Their behind-the-scenes work directly impacted the safety of officers and the community, and their expertise, reliability, and dedication are integral to the agency’s success.
Professional Staff Member of the Year: Lindsay Beers
Whether identifying crime patterns, uncovering crucial details or providing immediate investigative support during calls, Lindsay Beers played a vital role in solving crimes and enhancing campus safety. She took initiative, regularly seeking out ways to help detectives work their cases — sometimes even before they’d been assigned. In 2024, she completed 41 bulletins, 23 work-ups, nine photo line ups and assisted in identifying suspects in several criminal cases. Not only is she an asset to the team professionally, she’s credited as being a pleasure to work with by her colleagues, and always cheerful and reliable.
Professional Staff Supervisor of the Year: Shawna Meyers
Shawna Meyers is an indispensable asset to UCFPD, juggling numerous roles and ensuring everything is done proficiently, professionally and correctly. Her expertise in handling paperwork, arrest packets, and evidence upholds the agency’s policies and procedures in court, and she is a knowledgeable resource for both officers and staff members. Meyers and her team also handled more than 2,600 public record requests last year, ensuring that the agency complied with state statute. Her friendly demeanor and willingness to provide guidance make her a joy to work with, and her contributions are immeasurable and essential to the department’s success.
Rookie of the Year: Adriel Rivera Aponte
Adriel Rivera Aponte has been an exceptional addition to the UCFPD team, surpassing expectations for a recruit. His name frequently appears in cases, not only for responding to calls, but also for his proactive patrolling, addressing suspicious individuals and conducting traffic stops. Additionally, he has demonstrated both skill and compassion in handling mental health-related calls, responding to three Baker Acts and four wellbeing checks in 2024. He also made 18 arrests, conducted 416 traffic stops and handled 11 drug-related calls in 2024.
Senior Leader of the Year: Steven Freund
Though most of his work happens behind-the-scenes, Steven Freund is an exceptional leader whose dedication and vision have profoundly impacted Public Safety. Under his leadership, his team has upgraded campus security technology that’s frequently used to prevent and solve crimes. He’s leveraged relationships with key campus stakeholders and is often consulted on major university construction projects across all four UCF campuses. In 2024, the Department of Security started a camera replacement project and added license plate readers to parking garages, helping officers detect suspect vehicles. On a personal level, Freund continued his own professional development while his mentorship boosted team morale and contributed to professional growth.
Sworn Supervisor of the Year: Terrell Alexander ’18 ’23MS
Terrell Alexander ’18 ’23MS’s colleagues highly regard him as an outstanding supervisor who consistently prioritizes the well-being and development of his officers. He ensured that officers were available to represent UCFPD at necessary trainings and conferences while also advancing their individual educational growth. Always available for support when needed, Alexander trusted his team to do the right thing. Recently, he took on a new role in the Community Partnerships Unit, where he has hit the ground running.
Team of the Year: Victim Services (Mandy Broderick, Nick Dumercy, Christine Mouton, Olivia Oles and Laura Valle)
Despite their small size, the Victim Services team provides essential services and organizes impactful community events, such as the Greater Orlando Domestic Violence Vigil, Victims’ Rights Week and Denim Day. Last year, the team facilitated the UCF’s Green Dot Bystander Intervention Program trainings and delivered 14 educational presentations to various community members. Their emotional resilience and unwavering dedication are evident as they work on-call to provide continuous support for victims, even implementing a new chat feature on their website last year. In 2024, their department oversaw 319 cases, closing 266 of them — an impressive accomplishment despite staffing challenges and a physical office move.
Lifesaving Award: Adriel Rivera Aponte, Amber Charles and Elaina Little
In August, UCFPD was alerted that a former student was threatening self-harm but no location details were available. Dispatch Supervisor Amber Charles acted quickly, searching campus license plate readers and finding a hit from a parking garage. While officers responded, she searched the security cameras at the top of the garage and spotted a man sitting on a ledge. Officers Adriel Rivera Aponte and Elaina Little arrived, and after a brief conversation, Aponte pulled the former student to safety. A suicide note found nearby confirmed that their timely actions saved a life that day.
Lifesaving Award: Tommy Duhart
During a high school graduation ceremony, UCFPD received a call to help an elderly woman who was choking. Officer Tommy Duhart was the first to arrive on scene and immediately began performing the Heimlich maneuver. Within seconds, he successfully dislodged the food, allowing her to breathe. The woman was medically cleared and, thanks to Duhart, was able to watch her loved one walk across the stage.
Lifesaving Award: Frank Imparato
While heading to work last summer, Sergeant Frank Imparato noticed a man sitting on the ledge of an overpass in Maitland, Florida. After notifying the Maitland Police Department, Imparato approached the individual and began establishing a rapport with him. A Maitland officer soon arrived, and together they successfully talked the man away from the ledge and ensured he received the help he needed.
Lifesaving Award: Monica Quimbayo
When a UCF student left a letter expressing suicidal thoughts, detective Monica Quimbayo jumped into action. She connected with the student over the phone, who shared feelings of depression and doubts about therapy. Through a casual conversation about an old rock band, Quimbayo kept the student engaged until help arrived. The student was safely located, placed under protective custody and later received mental health support under the Baker Act.
