Page 86 - August Life In Naples Magazine

DEPUTY RECOGNIZED FOR WORK

WITH SPECIALTY COURTS

A s a child, Sgt. Leslie Weidenhammer dreamed of

becoming a police officer but her parents thought it
would be too dangerous and steered her away toward
college to be a teacher.
She completed her degree and taught in Indiana before
moving to Florida. She went to work for the Collier County
YMCA and started an outdoor education program. But
thoughts of being a police officer persisted. At the Y, a retired
Chicago cop persuaded her to apply with the Colllier County
Sheriff ’s Office.
Twenty-six years later she’s living her dream.
“Cliché I know, but I wanted to make a difference and help
people,” Sgt. Weidenhammer said.
And she has. The Collier County Bar Association recently
recognized Sgt. Weidenhammer for her work with the county’s
specialty courts and awarded her its Medal of Honor.
Sgt. Weidenhammer is a member of the Collier County
Drug Court, Mental Health Court and Veterans Court Teams.
In these roles she works with individuals with mental illness
and substance abuse problems who come into contact with law
enforcement while in crisis. These courts offer an alternative to
the traditional court system better suited for some individuals
in need of treatment services.
Sgt. Weidenhammer is also a trainer for the CCSO’s Crisis
Intervention Team and coordinator of the agency’s Mental
Health Unit. She serves as a volunteer board member for the
National Alliance on Mental Illness where she focuses on
youth programs.
Sgt. Weidenhammer has been recognized over the years by
SGT. WEIDENHAMMER ACCEPTING HER AWARD.
various county agencies for her role in mental health advocacy.
She was nominated for the Collier County Bar Association’s
Medal of Honor by Andy Solis, Chairman of the Board of
County Commissioners, and Judge Janeice T. Martin of the community,” his nomination letter read. “She truly cares for those
20th Judicial Circuit. she serves, and conveys the message of help, hope and recovery in
“(Sgt. Weidenhammer’s) collaboration with our Treatment all that she does.
Courts process has been nothing short of transformational,” Sgt. Weidenhammer accepted her award and gave a speech on
Judge Martin wrote in her nomination letter, adding that in her work with the agency and specifically the county’s specialty
the two years since joining the Treatment Courts Team she courts.
has educated fellow members and worked to connect with “I have to commend Sheriff (Kevin) Rambosk for his vision to
participants of the program. recognize the needs of our community and citizens as it relates to
Chairman Solis called Sgt. Weidenhammer a true public mental health issues and substance use disorders, and then having
servant. the faith in me to develop a CCSO team focusing on prevention
“Her professionalism and insight is of great benefit to our and intervention surrounding these issues,” she said.

86 Life in Naples | Aug/Sept/Oct 2018