UPD recognizes 2 with McCullough, Ottman awards

The Northwest Missouri State University Police Department, during the institution’s fall All-Employee Meeting on Wednesday, recognized two community members with its Monica C. McCollough University Police Department Service Award and Raymond L. Ottman University Police Department Community Service Award.

Dr. Kori Hoffmann with University Police Chief Amanda Cullin (Photos by Todd Weddle/Northwest Missouri State University)

Meghann Kosman with University Police Chief Amanda Cullin

The University Police Department honored Dr. Kori Hoffmann, who serves as assistant vice president of student affairs for student engagement and development, with the McCollough Award. Meghann Kosman, a victim advocate and volunteer coordinator with North Star Advocacy Center in Maryville, received the Ottman Award.

Hoffmann facilitates the University’s Behavior Intervention Team, which comprises representatives of departments throughout the campus and responds to ongoing mental health concerns of Northwest students. In this role, Hoffmann meets with students, families and employees to support student success.

“Dr. Hoffmann assists the Northwest University Police Department by providing critical communication, case alignment and effective response processes through the Behavioral Intervention Team,” University Police Sgt. Kyle Hoyt said. “His care and concern for student well-being and institutional safety is shown in his ongoing work with the Northwest University Police Department and Behavioral Intervention Team.”

Kosman has worked at North Star Advocacy Center for more than 15 years, beginning as a Northwest student volunteer. She supports victims through reporting, interviewing with law enforcement, hospital exams and court hearings.

“Ms. Kosman advocates for Missouri victims’ rights issues at the Missouri and national capitols, trains volunteers, and educates the Northwest and Maryville communities,” Hoyt said. “Ms. Kosman has served on the Membership Committee, the People of Color roundtable, and the Public Policy Committee through our Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. Ms. Kosman also serves as the victims’ advocate at the Conception Abbey, volunteers for hospice at Mosaic Life Care and supports the Nodaway County Humane Society.”

The McCollough Award recognizes Northwest students or employees who are not members of the Police Department but have aided the department and its officers by offering solutions to prevent and solve crime, assisting an officer in the field or assisting the department in achieving its goals.

It is named for Monica McCollough, who served the Police Department as a student dispatcher, full-time dispatcher and office manager from 2002 to 2014. She improved department processes and implemented programs that continue to serve the Northwest community, including the Safe Ride Home program, which provides safe and timely transportation to students, and the Santa Cops program to assist families in Nodaway County with Christmas gifts.

The Ottman Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates ongoing community leadership through contributions to building a sense of unity and purpose. The recipient must be involved in volunteer programs, social groups or outreach centers. The recipient also demonstrates positive values and behaviors that aspire others to emulate and affect positive changes.

It is named for Raymond Ottman, a member of the University Police Department for 15 years. Ottman implemented resources and programs – such as Pizza and Police, CoCo with the PoPo, Bobby Palooza and Partners in Prevention, among others – that continue to serve the Northwest community. He departed the University Police Department in 2015 as a lieutenant of operations to become police chief at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith.