Attorney General’s Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect gives out the 2007 Dr. Roger M. Fossum Awards at its 15th Annual Conference

Thursday, October 26, 2007

Attorney General Kelly Ayotte is pleased to announce that the Attorney General’s Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect presented the 2007 Dr. Roger M. Fossum Awards to Detective Paul Bertolami from the Swanzey Police Department and Detective Jill Rockey from the New Hampshire State Police. THE ROGER M. FOSSUM AWARD, given in memory of the State’s first Chief Medical Examiner who died in 1994, honors individuals who have made an outstanding commitment to collaborative multidisciplinary efforts to improve services to children affected by abuse and neglect in New Hampshire.

Detective Paul Bertolami has been in law enforcement since 1983, and joined the Swanzey Police Department as a detective in 2000. Detective Bertolami works actively on child abuse cases, from investigation to prosecution. He has been an active member of the Monadnock Region Child Advocacy Center (CAC) Advisory Board since it was created, and has devoted countless hours, many of them on his own time, to working with the CAC to, among other things, hire a Program Coordinator, help with facilitating the opening of the CAC and serving as an active participating participant in the multidisciplinary team meetings. He always greets a child and family with a smile and offers his support with his laughter and sense of humor, and will end his conversations by extending to families his willingness to have them contact him should they feel the need.

Detective Jill Rockey, a trooper for the New Hampshire State Police since 1994, has served her State and her community with distinction as a member of the detectives division. Her assignments to Troop A, and to the Sex Offender Registry have positioned her well to advocate for the rights of the victims of violent and sexually violent crimes. Detective Rockey has been a leader in the education of law enforcement and other service providers, and in the development of policy and legislation regarding Sex Offenders. She has worked tirelessly at the New Hampshire Legislature advocating protections for child victims of sexual abuse and accountability for sexual offenders. In particular, Jill has spearheaded the effort to bring the state in compliance with the Federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. With her leadership New Hampshire will soon become a national model for our comprehensive Sex Offender Registry.

Attorney General Ayotte said, “The Attorney General's Task Force is pleased to honor these two dedicated law enforcement officers for their commitment and hard work on behalf of New Hampshire’s children.”

For additional information, please contact Sandra Matheson, Director, Office of Victim/Witness Assistance, Attorney General's Office, (603) 271-3671.