BY JIMMY LAWTONNorth Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg Police Sgt. Ryan Polniak received the prestigious "Hero of the Year" award from the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) for his dedication to helping child victims.

The Children's Advocacy Center of Northern New York provides a wide array of services for children who are believed to have been victimized.

Ogdensburg Police Chief Mark Kearns explained that when children are believed to have been victims of a crime, the CAC assigns them a multi-disciplinary team which includes a Child Protective Services worker, a police officer, an advocate and a representative from the DA's office.

The children are also provided with a variety of counselors, nurses and therapists.

Kearns said Polniak serves as the Juvenile Officer in Ogdensburg and since taking the position has taken a very active role in seeking justice for child victims.

"He's very passionate about it," Kearns said. "He's really stepped up and has been a major player in the multidisciplinary team."

Kearns said Polniak goes above and beyond his duties in the city to assist countywide when he can.

Kearns noted that the Hero of the Year isn't a law enforcement award. He said it can go to anyone involved in the CAC organization.

"There is a lot of competition for this. Someone nominated him because they saw what he was doing. I don't know who, it may have been multiple people, but someone recognized what he's doing and he was selected as Hero of the Year,” Kearns remarked.

Kearns said the city is fortunate to have an officer like Polniak.

"He's the kind of guy who is very versatile. He comes to me regularly and asks what he can do to help."

Kearns said he receives similar feedback about Polniak from Ogdensburg City School Superintendent Kevin Kendall, who provides frequent praise of Polniak’s work.

Similar praise was expressed by the mayor, city council and city manager Tuesday during the public meeting.

The Victim's Assistance Center of Jefferson County, which works in conjunction with the CAC, also provided praise for Polniak.

"A heartfelt congratulations goes out to Ryan Polniak of the Ogdensburg Police Department, who was honored for his unwavering dedication to seeking justice for child victims in our communities. As the school resource officer at Ogdensburg Free Academy, Sgt. Polniak's commitment to his role on the multidisciplinary team truly sets him apart. Thank you for your outstanding service, Sgt. Polniak," a social media post from the center said.