TOPEKA, Kan. — South Hutchinson Police Chief Mark Thompson was recognized for his service to crime victims during last week’s Crime Victims’ Rights Conference in Topeka.

Thompson was presented the Outstanding Criminal Justice Victim Service Award for Law Enforcement by Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt during an awards ceremony.

In nominating Thompson, Donna Davis, Executive Director of the Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Center (SADVC), said he has helped “pave the way for SADVC to positively interact with local law enforcement, the judicial system, and community members in order to better provide for sexual assault/domestic violence victims.”

Thompson assisted with the creation of the Reno County Coordinated Community Response Team in 2012. This team’s purpose is improving the system’s response to domestic violence, including increasing victim safety, increasing offender accountability and improving agency relationships. Since 2014, Thompson has served on the board of SADVC, and is currently serving as its president. Through that role, he is helping SADVC strengthen victim services in Reno, Rice, Harper and Kingman counties.

The Kansas Crime Victims’ Rights Conference was hosted by Attorney General Schmidt and Governor Jeff Colyer. The conference featured a number of speakers and trainers focused on raising awareness of emerging crimes and offering new approaches to respond to enduring crimes, such as child abuse, domestic violence and human trafficking.