DAYTON — Attorney General Andy Wilson joined peace officers this week at the 2026 Law Enforcement Training Symposium (LETS) to honor their achievements and thank them for their dedicated service to Ohio’s communities.
During the conference, Mount Vernon Nazarene’s Paul McNeal won the Victoria Allen Civilian Leadership Award.
Check out a video about his award below:
“You give a piece of your soul, your heart and who you are to the people you serve and protect,” Wilson said. “You do it because your sense of duty and service calls you to help people. We can never repay you for what you give us.”
Victoria Allen Civilian Leadership Award
This award honors a servant leader who, in the spirit of the award’s namesake, works to unite neighbors and local law enforcement for the betterment of the community as a whole.
McNeal is the assistant athletic director at Mount Vernon Nazarene University and is among the most effective community connectors in Mount Vernon, according to his nomination.
The Navy veteran, former teacher, coach, and now assistant athletic director at Mount Vernon Nazarene University consistently brings people, institutions, and public-safety agencies together in ways that strengthen trust, encourage service, and otherwise benefit the larger community.
“There are a number of things that stand out about Paul,” said Assistant Chief Andy Burns of the Mount Vernon Police Department. “For one, I think he’s about 6-foot-6 or 6-foot-7 so he’s easy to spot in a crowd.
“But in addition to being head and shoulders above most people physically, he rises above most people in general because of his heart for the community.”
Although McNeal prefers to remain behind the scenes, many of Mount Vernon’s strongest partnerships between civic organizations and law enforcement stem from his strong leadership. He is an organizer, an innovator and a creative problem-solver.
“Paul is dependable and has a heart for it, and he never makes you feel like you really owe him one,” Burns said. “He loves the community and he loves people.”
Among McNeal’s many achievements is his foundational partnership with the police department’s Police and Kids United (PAK United), designed to build strong relationships between the department’s officers and local youth.
McNeal has helped bolster the program, identifying venues, securing community partners, coordinating logistics and trouble-shooting problems.
He has likewise used the Mount Vernon Nazarene platform to support first responders through annual events hosted at the university.
The gatherings not only allow police, fire, and EMS personnel to feel the community’s gratitude, but also reinforce the long-standing relationship between public-safety agencies and the university.
“I’ve been here for 2½ years and, from Day One, Paul met with me and said, ‘You know, we really need to proactive and be ambassadors for our law enforcement here in town,’ ” said Mount Vernon Nazarene President Carson Castleman.
“So, every year we do one or two big events where we honor our local law enforcement, and Paul leads those.”
Similarly, McNeal has supported Special Olympics events, youth outreach, and civic gatherings at which police participation is part of the larger effort to strengthen community relationships.
His broader civic service also reflects his giving spirit.
He has been an active part of the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, downtown First Friday initiatives, youth engagement efforts, charitable fundraising, and multiple non-profit partnerships that benefit families throughout Knox County.
His recognition as one of Mount Vernon’s Volunteers of the Year stemmed from his many years of service citywide.
“When I think of Paul McNeal, I think of the words connection and collaboration,” Castleman said. “They are what make a university better.
“Paul has done an outstanding job, and Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Mount Vernon, Ohio are blessed to have him as part of our community.”
Conference sets standard for training
The annual conference, held for the first time in Dayton, continued setting a new standard for Ohio law enforcement training. It is hosted by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy, a division of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, to equip officers with the tools and knowledge they need to serve their communities effectively.
The symposium featured more than 50 workshops presented by experts from Ohio and beyond. Among those sessions were keynote presentations by Jim Schmidt, stepfather of Gabby Petito and board member of the Gabby Petito Foundation; Kara Robinson Chamberlain, a survivor advocate; and Harry Trombitas, a retired FBI special agent.
This year’s event, held Sept. 13 to 15, again offered officers the convenience of completing their mandatory continuing professional training (CPT) on-site in one location, reducing time away from their communities.
On Monday evening, Wilson joined other leaders in Ohio law enforcement for an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding service and achievements in public safety.
Other 2026 award winners
Other 2026 awards and recipients are:
Training Award
Sgt. Steven Drew, Ohio State Highway Patrol (Photo | Video)
Community Service Award
Trooper William Watson, Ohio State Highway Patrol (Photo | Video)
Blue Line Award (two awards given)
Chief Robert K. Morgan, Mount Vernon Police Department (Photo | Video)
Crisis Intervention Team Co-Responder Program, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (Photo | Video)
Group Achievement Award
Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force
Exemplary Response Award (two awards given)
Trooper Grant E. Baumle, Ohio State Highway Patrol (Photo | Video)
Deputy Bailey Ramsey, Champaign County Sheriff’s Office
Deputy Ashlie Walter, Champaign County Sheriff’s Office
Paramedic Thad Davis, Mechanicsburg Fire Department
EMT Jason Richey, Mechanicsburg Fire Department
(Photo | Video)
Valor Award
Officer Ali F. Sabeiha, Elyria Police Department (Photo | Video)
Lifetime Achievement Award (two awards given)
Chief Jerome “Jerry” T. Klue (ret.), Akron Children’s Hospital Department of Public Safety (Photo | Video)
William “Bill” Swank, Ambassador and Advocate for Ohio Law Enforcement (Photo | Video)
To read about the impact of each award winner, visit the conference website and click on the “Award Winners” tab at the top of the landing page.