Trumbull prosecutor receives service award

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Prosecutor Dennis Watkins

Staff report

WARREN

Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins recently received the Citizen’s Service Award for 2010 presented by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification & Investigation, a division of the Ohio attorney general’s office.

It was awarded at a luncheon in London, Ohio, last month.

“It is a great honor to receive this award. ... It is especially gratifying that Cliff Evans, supervisory agent of the BCII Youngstown Office, and other employees of that agency, including forensic scientists, have seen fit to recognize my efforts in assisting law enforcement in the furtherance of justice,” Watkins said.

The award, which includes a medallion, lapel pin and plaque, is given to a nonmember of BCII who has contributed to the field.

Evans said he nominated Watkins for his overall body of work during his 25 years in the field in addition to his high conviction rate, which ranks in the 90th percentile.

“I know he enjoys a fairly high level of respect within the greater law-enforcement community,” Evans said. “And that’s saying something in our field.”