CLEARWATER – The Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Foundation honored exceptional law enforcement officers and community leaders during its 11th Annual Gala on Aug. 29 at Opal Sol Resort in Clearwater.
The evening’s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, was presented to U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody for her decades of leadership and advocacy on behalf of Florida’s law enforcement officers and the communities they serve.
“I am honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Foundation,” Moody said. “As a former prosecutor and the wife of a law enforcement officer, I have seen firsthand the sacrifices these men and women and their families make each and every day for our communities. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside them, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue that work and be their voice in the U.S. Senate.”
The gala also recognized five law enforcement honorees for extraordinary acts of service and business leader Fotini Allteni Kokeri for her longtime partnership with law enforcement.
“It’s about telling the stories of the people behind the badge,” said Greg Mertz, president of the Tampa Bay Area Chiefs of Police Foundation. “These honorees represent the very best of law enforcement and community leadership. The foundation is proud to give officers the tools they need to succeed. When we support our officers, we strengthen the agencies they serve and the communities they protect.”
Honorees were:
- Deputy of the Year: Detective Aaron Smith, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office Digital Forensics Unit
His expertise in digital forensics has helped solve complex criminal investigations, identify dozens of child exploitation victims and bring offenders to justice. His work helped the FBI dismantle a multi-state child exploitation case involving a Tampa Bay-area doctor.
- Task Force of the Year: Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Strategic Gun Intelligence Unit
The unit combats gun violence through intelligence-driven investigations and proactive enforcement. Since launching in 2025, the unit has arrested more than 100 violent offenders, seized 132 illegal firearms, recovered more than $100,000 in criminal proceeds and helped reduce gun violence across Hillsborough County.
- Officer of the Year: Officer Andrew Billups, Clearwater Police Department
He rescued a missing 8-year-old autistic girl in danger of being swept into the Gulf and weeks later talked a woman in crisis to safety from the Memorial Causeway Bridge.
- Agent of the Year: Aby George, Florida Department of Law Enforcement
George led an investigation that dismantled a major international child pornography ring operating across multiple countries. His work resulted in numerous arrests, the seizure of a website distributing child sexual abuse material, including more than one million explicit videos, and the identification of about 50 child victims.
- Unsung Hero: Master Patrol Officer Chrisie Lopez, St. Petersburg Police Department
Lopez has worked more than a decade of service as a crisis negotiator to resolve high-risk situations. From helping a suicidal teenager to de-escalating an armed man experiencing a mental health crisis, her ability to defuse dangerous situations has saved lives while connecting people in crisis to the help they need.
- Business Partner of the Year: Fotini Allteni Kokeri, Michael J. Kosloski Foundation
Kokeri has invested in law enforcement training, officer development, specialized equipment and community initiatives. Her partnership with law enforcement agencies, coupled with a dedication to improving health care, education and quality of life, has helped build stronger relationships between law enforcement and the community.
The gala’s presenting sponsor, Pepin Family Foundation, donated $250,000.
