Vermont Member Aumand Receives 2011 Cooper Award

SEARCH Chairman Capt. Tom Turner (left) presents the 2011 Gary R. Cooper Meritorious Service Award to SEARCH Vermont Member Mr. Francis X. Aumand III.

For the past six years, he's been the one handing out the SEARCH awards. But the tables were turned on January 25, 2011, when Mr. Francis X. "Paco" Aumand III became the 25th recipient of the Gary R. Cooper Meritorious Service Award.

The award was presented to Paco at a reception in his honor during the Winter 2011 Membership Group Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Aumand, who is Director of the Division of Criminal Justice Services at the Vermont Department of Public Safety, has been Vermont's representative on the Membership Group since 1996. He has served on numerous SEARCH committees and task forces, and in July 2010 ended a two-term stretch as Chair of the Board of Directors.

In presenting the award, SEARCH Chairman Captain Thomas W. Turner, who previously served as Vice Chair under Paco, cited Paco's professional accomplishments, his dedication and contributions to SEARCH, and his service as a leader.

Capt. Turner noted, "I firmly believe that this organization has been strengthened through Paco's leadership, and his active interest in, and advocacy of, the issues that affect us all."

On the national level, Paco has been closely involved in information sharing, policy and privacy issues as a member of the following bodies:

the FBI Advisory Policy Board's Information Sharing Subcommittee,
the FBI Compact Council — various committees,
the Global Privacy and Information Quality Working Group, and
the Global Intelligence Working Group Subcommittee on Privacy in Fusion Centers (past member).

Paco has also chaired the Legal/Privacy Focus Group of the FBI's N-DEx project, and has been a member of the Police Executive Research Forum, International Association of Chiefs of Police, and Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police.

Paco's selection for the 2011 Cooper Award occurred at the 2010 Annual Membership Group Meeting in Burlington, Vermont. Wanting to honor their out-going Chair with the nomination in his own hometown, the Board of Directors called a special meeting to order and selected him by acclamation.

The Gary R. Cooper Meritorious Service Award honors a SEARCH Member whose work in the field of criminal justice information systems, policy or statistics has been outstanding. The Award enables SEARCH Members to recognize one of their colleagues for contributions both to the field of criminal justice information and to the success of SEARCH.