Carpentersville police social worker honored

The Carpentersville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5915 and its Ladies Auxiliary presented an award to Griselda Hernandez, who is a Carpentersville Police Department social worker.

Hernandez has served the community of Carpentersville for 13 years.

Although she is not an employee you see in the forefront, her duties are important due to the nature of her job. Hernandez is utilized in various situations which occur within the community such as assisting officers with translations; parent/child conflict and death investigations. She provides the families with information and explains the process.

Hernandez provides in-house training for the department whenever the laws change in regards to domestic violence. She offers and provides assistance and counsels victims of domestic incidents. Hernandez actively participates in crime prevention programs and serves as a liaison with neighborhood organizations in the village. She assists with presentations and activities, coordinates National Night Out and co-coordinates Shop with a Cop.

Hernandez has been managing the Strengthening Families Program which began in 2003. Ninety-five families have participated and graduated from the program since its inception. In 2008, Hernandez began working with a gang intervention program. The program consists of kids who have been seen with or have been indicated to be gang members. Thirty-four kids have graduated from the program as of this year.

She has also been an advocate to the Carpentersville VFW Post 5915. She has helped the police department with numerous projects that the VFW has sponsored.