When Kariann Hill is patrolling Round Lake Beach and spots a pick-up basketball game in progress, she’s likely to join in.
It’s that level of connection with the community’s youth that helped her earn the title of Officer of the Year of the Round Lake Beach Police Department.
Last week at Village Hall, Police Chief David Hare presented Hill with a plaque and a pin that Hill said she’ll proudly display on her uniform.
“Kariann was selected because of her excellent police work and her contributions to the Round Lake Beach community. She was instrumental in many of our investigations in 2014 and she participated and/or organized events like Shop with a Cop and the Polar Plunge for Illinois Special Olympics,” Hare said.
Hill also participated in the Giving Tree effort, in which she bought Christmas gifts for a local family.
Knowing the value of teamwork, Hill got her coworkers involved and together they collected $700 worth of presents for the family.
“It was an insane amount of presents,” said Hill, who added that she’s working toward becoming a detective.
In her almost three years on the force, Hare said she’s helped build trust between the department and residents. She also expressed pride in her commitment to being a positive role model for the community’s youth.
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