I would like to nominate Patrick Sprigg from One District for Hero of the Year. Patrick was working in the domestic violence unit when I met him. 

I was full of fear, anxiety and uncertainty. Patrick was extremely kind and reassuring that everything was going to be ok. He spent nearly 4 years as the lead dectective on my case. Over that period of time I got to know Patrick very well. He came to my home to check on me regularly. He called me regularly and he always returned my calls, no matter how many times a day I called him. 

He treated me with so much respect and talked to me as if we were friends rather than just the detective on my case. We spend hours and hours, and many days in court together. He always stopped by my house after court to see how I was feeling. I wanted to give up and walk away from everything so many times. Patrick always calmed me down and let me vent, even if I yelled at him. He understood what I was going through and how hard it was for me. 

I have always had a difficult time trusting the police to help me. Patrick showed me the human side of being an officer. I wasn't just a file or a number. I was a person. He genuinely cares what people are going through. He cared about what happened to me and he was always there for me. I would not have been able to proceed through the entire trial if it wasn't for Patrick. 

I have never seen an officer dedicate so much time to a regular citizen. He is truly a hero and a once in a lifetime type of person. He has a huge heart very strong values as an officer and person. 

Patrick made a humongous impact on my life. I will never forget him and I know that I can always call him if I need to talk. He goes above and beyond to make people feel comfortable with him. I have never met an officer like him. He is my hero!