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WASHINGTON, DC – Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia was awarded the Suzanne McDaniel Award for Public Awareness by the bi-partisan Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus here Thursday.The distinction is bestowed by federal lawmakers upon individuals who have used their public voices to bring awareness to crime victims' rights issues.

“Houstonians are lucky to have the finest sheriff in the nation protecting us. Sheriff Garcia is a lawman who has dedicated his life to making Houston safer, keeping criminals off the streets and watching out for victims of crime,” stated U.S. Rep.Ted Poe of Harris County, a caucus co-founder. “He does it all--from hunting down killers to going after human trafficking rings. The fight against sex trafficking in Houston has made great strides thanks to the sheriff’s dedication to this issue. Thanks to him we are much closer to eradicating modern day slavery.”

Poe, a Republican, and Congressman Jim Costa, a California Democrat, co-founded the bipartisan caucus in 2005.

(Please see attached photos of Poe and Garcia; and Garcia making remarks to caucus members in a U.S. House meeting room).

Suzanne McDaniel, for whom the award was named, died in 2012 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Her work as a prosecutor in Harris County guided her as an advocate for crime victims' rights. McDaniel created Harris County’s first community interagency council on sexual assault and family violence and the first rape exam protocol for Houston Hospital and Medical Associations. She also formed the Texas Crime Victim Clearinghouse, the first statewide resource in the nation, and helped draft and pass the Texas Crime Victim Bill of Rights, the Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation Act, and the Texas Constitutional Amendment on Crime Victim Rights. In 1995, McDaniel's work earned her the attention of President Bill Clinton, who presented her with a Crime Victim Service Award, given to Americans who guide victims through the recovery process.

“I’m honored to accept this award. It is a tangible symbol of my commitment to carry on McDaniel’s work, ensuring justice and rights for crime victims. Countless men and women of distinction within the Harris County Sheriff’s Office also share in this achievement and that promise to our community,” states Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, “I commit myself, and the sworn personnel serving under my command, to continued innovation in Suzanne McDaniel’s honor.

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