PRINCETON, W.Va. -Once a year individuals gather to celebrate those who continue to advocate and support children across the state.
Lt. Steven Sommers is a part of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department. He recently received the Professional with Courage Award presented from the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network. He says how thankful he is to receive this recognition.
“Very honored but humbled. There are hundreds of other people that, I think do a lot more than I do, and to be counted amongst those is very humbling,” said Lt. Sommers.
Over the last twelve years he says he’s worked on hundreds of cases in child abuse, and he knows the work is a group effort with other local law enforcement agencies and organizations to protect children.
“I’ve had the opportunity to travel the United States and work investigations and work alongside other investigators. The multi-disciplinary investigative team that we have in Mercer County, I would put it against any anybody anywhere. It is an excellent group of investigators, advocates, forensic interviewers, and prosecutors,” said Lt. Sommers.
Lt. Sommers says that he as well as his colleagues know the work, they do is the most important. Continuing with children is our future and if they are forgotten about then our future is as well.
“The unfortunate part, it will never stop. It is the very unfortunate truth. But what we can do is see something, say something, and take as many steps as you can to lessen a child’s exposure or provide the child with the knowledge to identify somebody that’s trying to groom them to make good decisions on the internet,” said Lt. Sommers.
He advices to notify authorities as soon as possible even if you do not want a criminal investigation because there are resources that can be provided for the affected child and family as well.
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