FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award Recipient: Sheriff Clarence W. Dupnik, Pima County Sheriff’s Department

PHOENIX, AZ—FBI Special Agent in Charge Nathan T. Gray, Phoenix Division, announced today that Sheriff Clarence W. Dupnik, Pima County Sheriff’s Department received the Director’s Community Leadership Award for 2008. Sheriff Dupnik received his award today from FBI Director Robert Mueller during a ceremony in Washington D.C. The award is given annually to one recipient representing each of the 56 Field Offices in the FBI.

Sheriff Dupnik has been a strong ally and ardent supporter of the FBI. He has committed resources to FBI task forces, including the Tucson Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and the Southern Border Initiative. He continually promotes the FBI National Academy (FBINA) among his command staff, resulting in eleven FBINA graduates from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department during his tenure. Most recently, Sheriff Dupnik partnered with the FBI in a community outreach program entitled, “Terrorism Intervention Prevention Solutions” which educates business and community groups regarding potential threats and suspicious behaviors which may be indicative of terrorist activity.

A veteran of over 50 years in law enforcement, Sheriff Dupnik began his career as a patrol officer with the Tucson Police Department in February of 1958. He served the department until his retirement in January 1977, achieving the rank of Major in charge of Field Operations. He was appointed Chief Deputy Sheriff with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in January of 1977 and then appointed Sheriff by the Pima County Board of Supervisors on February 19, 1980. Pima County voters endorsed the choice nine months later by electing him to his first four-year term, and ratified that decision by re-electing him to eight consecutive terms most recently in November 2008.

Sheriff Dupnik is the chairman of the Southwest Border Executive Committee while also, serving on fourteen other law enforcement commissions, committees, and boards throughout Arizona. As Sheriff of the seventh largest county in the country, with a population of 1 million residents and 9,241 square miles, including 123 miles along the Mexican border, Sheriff Dupnik is a strong and influential leader among law enforcement entities in Arizona to include the southwestern United States.