The Irving Police Department is nominating Officer Stephanie Straw for the NAACP Officer of the Year Award.

Officer Straw has been a member of the Irving Police Department since. She is a veteran police officer having started her career with the Duncanville Police Department before joining IPD.

Officer Straw became involved in the Shop Talk program about a year ago, even though her work schedule does not align with the shops’ hours of operation. Her desire to participate in the program was so strong, she requested permission from her supervisor to start her shift early on the days she is going to visit shops so she would have an opportunity to be involved. She then began coming in on her days off to make the visits, recognizing how important it was to maintain contact with the shop owners and their customers.

During the visits, Officer Straw answers questions and provides feedback to the staff and customers. The information is well received in the community even during tense times. The below is a summary of the work Officer Straw has done within the program:

• She developed a positive trust relationship within the African American Shop Talk Community
• Her abilities to communicate and engage have Shop Owners asking for her to come back to the shops
• She created a program at Braids-by-Braids Salon where victims of Domestic Violence can get their hair done free
• She provided library books to the Shops for kids to read
• She has worked on her days off at Back-to-school events, Pizza with a Cop, and Blue Christmas
• She is currently coordinating a Halloween event for kids within the Shop Talk program.

Outside of Shop Talk, Officer Straw has participated in the Coffee with a Cop program, and she has been involved in community meetings serving on panels to provide police perspectives. She has a humble and appreciative attitude which kids seem to gravitate towards. She is a perfect example of a Community- Oriented Police Officer. She also serves on the Executive Board for the Irving Police Officers Fraternal Order of Police, representing her shift with plans to run for higher office later this year