The Why Behind the Award

We are proud to announce the creation of the Excellence in Public Safety, Kate Leese Memoriam Award. As you know, Kate served as an UPSA member for over a decade before her tragic passing in November of 2021. She leaves behind not only loved ones—family, friends, and colleagues—but a legacy of unparalleled dedication to public safety and to the preservation of others’ lives. To put it simply, for Kate, public safety was not about checking regulatory boxes, it was about its impact on people—its ability to prevent loss. She was passionate about that, and that passion paved the way for improvements within the industry that will continue to reap positive benefits for years to come. Thus, it is our honor to create this award in her memory with the hope that we all might strive to meet the bar that Kate set for excellence within the public safety sphere.

Eligibility and Submission

Are you, or do you know, someone who demonstrates excellence in public safety? If so, we encourage you to submit an entry for this award. To become eligible, the entrant or nominee must be a member of UPSA who has attended meetings in-person or webinars online.

Entries must include the name of the nominee, the organization the nominee belongs to, and the name of the person nominating (if applicable). In addition, entries must include a description of the ways in which excellence has been demonstrated by the nominee. Examples of impact on a recent public safety program, along with photos, are also recommended.

All entries must be submitted two calendar months prior to the annual UPSA meeting.

Criteria and Judging

Entries will be reviewed by the UPSA steering committee panel, or a chosen subset of the steering committee, prior to the annual UPSA meeting.

Judges will evaluate the entries based upon a review of the descriptors included with the entry, as well as alignment with the concept of excellence as evidenced by interactions and/or results from a recent public safety program (must be within the last year). The winner will then be recognized at the annual UPSA meeting and presented with the award.

We look forward to your participation.