A member of the Erie County Sheriff's Department has been honored for her outstanding contribution on a federal task force.
Detective Theresa Nietzel is the first ever recipient of the Women in Federal Law Enforcement award for her work investigating sex trafficking of women and children. Nietzel says it's a big issue across the region and all of the United States.
"Just here in Western New York, there are a lot of cases [that] geographically they become very difficult because they will go outside of local law enforcement jurisdiction. And that's where we really need our federal partners to be there to be able to investigate," Nietzel said.
Sheriff Timothy Howard says Nietzel's mix of talented police work and her compassion for victims has resulted in the successful arrest and prosecution of criminals taking advantage of women and children.
