WASHINGTON—Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg presented Angela Haslett, manager of forensic services at SafeSpot Children’s Advocacy Center (SafeSpot) in Fairfax, Virginia, with the Washington Field Office’s 2023 FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) on March 22, 2024. The award recognizes Haslett’s work as a child forensic interviewer for the Washington Field Office’s (WFO) Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTF), which has helped mitigate crimes against children – particularly crimes involving victims of sextortion.

“We recognize Angela Haslett today for her tireless work in supporting the young victims of some of the most heinous crimes imaginable,” Sundberg said. “There is no doubt her work has reduced the trauma experienced by victims and has assisted in our ability to put offenders behind bars.”

Haslett has over 15 years of social work experience helping families and children who have experienced trauma. She, and other SafeSpot employees, lead multidisciplinary teams through investigations, reviewing and ensuring each case is moving carefully and efficiently through the therapeutic, investigative, and prosecutorial processes. Haslett’s work has reduced the trauma experienced by child victims; improved prosecution outcomes; and has provided efficient, compassionate, and thorough no-cost services to child victims and non-offending family members.

Established in 1990, the DCLA honors individuals and organizations for their efforts in combating crime, terrorism, drugs, and violence in America. Each of the FBI’s 56 field offices has an opportunity to nominate an individual or organization for consideration for the award. FBI Director Christopher Wray will host a ceremony in Washington on April 19, 2024, to recognize all DCLA recipients from around the country.

Learn more about the DCLA, including past winners from the Washington Field Office, here.