Media Advisory: Michael Nila of Blue Courage to Receive Attorney General Award for Meritorious Public Service

October 27, 2016

Contact: Jocelyn Little (702) 277-8518, [email protected]

www.bluecourage.com

Michael Nila of Blue Courage to Receive Attorney General Award for Meritorious Public Service

Attorney General Loretta Lynch will present the Attorney General’s Meritorious Award for Public Service to Michael J. Nila on November 10, 2016 at the DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC. The ceremony is the 64th Annual Attorney General Awards Ceremony. There is only one award for this category and Michael J. Nila, the founder of Blue Courage, is the sole recipient.

This award is the top public service award granted by the Department of Justice and is designed to recognize the most significant contributions of citizens and organizations that have assisted the department in the accomplishment of its mission and objectives.

Michael J. Nila is a retired Police Commander with 29 years of service with the Aurora, IL Police Department. Mr. Nila is a dynamic and inspirational leader who has spent the past 10 years developing the curriculum and infrastructure to support the Blue Courage Training Program. Mr. Nila has worked to inspire law enforcement officers to fully understand the nobility of policing, and to embrace their role as guardians of our rights and freedoms.

With Mr. Nila’s leadership and passion, over the past two years, the following results have been achieved:

> Over 10,000 law enforcement officers in 706 agencies have been trained. Of those, 700 officers, representing 196 law enforcement agencies, have been certified to teach Blue Courage in the field and in their respective agencies. It is this Train-the-Trainer approach that facilitates the rapid spread of Blue Courage principles throughout the country.

> Mr. Nila fostered a dynamic and effective partnership with the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) to infuse Blue Courage principles throughout existing recruit and in-service academy curricula – from firearms and tactical to community policing curricula.

> Mr. Nila’s outstanding contributions are reflected in the work and mission of the Department of Justice. In line with DOJ’s strategic goal three (Ensure and Support the Fair, Impartial, Efficient, and Transparent Administration of Justice at the Federal, State, Local, Tribal, and International Levels), Mr. Nila’s work is promoting positive and impactful relationships with state and local law enforcement partners and helping officers learn how to police in the 21st Century.

Blue Courage is a major force in cultivating trust and legitimacy in communities throughout the country. Their partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Office of Justice Programs has facilitated a transformation in policing that is anchored in a passion for service. As stated by City of Doral, FL Police Chief Don De Lucca, “Michael is an inspirational leader to all of law enforcement; I’ve personally seen his impact on organizations and how his teachings have developed the leaders of our profession.”