University Police recognizes employees, team with annual awards

The Northwest Missouri State University Police Department, during the institution’s fall All-Employee Meeting on Wednesday, recognized two employees with its annual service awards, in addition to introducing a team award.

Pictured left to right are University Police Chief Amanda Cullin, Monica McCollough, Timothy Carlyle and Northwest President Dr. Lance Tatum.

The University Police Department honored Timothy Carlyle, the director of infrastructure services in Northwest’s Office of Information Technology, with its Monica C. McCollough University Police Department Service Award. The Police Department recognized Carlyle for his 24 years of service at the University and as a cornerstone of ensuring its essential communication, security and support systems remain reliable and effective.

“His day-to-day work represents the backbone of the department’s ability to serve and protect the Northwest community,” his nominees wrote. “His quiet dedication, technical skill and commitment to continuous improvements have made a lasting impact on the department’s effectiveness and its ability to meet the evolving needs of the campus.”

Pictured left to right are University Police Chief Amanda Cullin, Kenton Wilcox and Northwest President Dr. Lance Tatum.

Kenton Wilcox, a senior instructor of English in the School of Language, Literature and Writing, received the University Police Department’s Raymond L. Ottman University Police Department Community Service Award for his steadfast commitment to fostering a safe, supportive and well-connected campus community. Wilcox, who joined the Northwest faculty in 2000, is a faculty representative on the University’s Behavioral Intervention Team and the Sexual Assault Response Team. He also has contributed to mental health initiatives through the University Well-Being Ad Hoc Committee and the Faculty Senate Wellness Committee.

“His legacy of service continues through consistent, thoughtful engagement in initiatives that directly support the mission of UPD and the well-being of the Northwest community,” his nominees wrote. “His approach is collaborative, solution-focused and deeply rooted in the values of safety, respect and care.”  

Additionally, University Police presented a new award this fall, the Clarence Green Jr. Team Culture Award, to the Office of University Marketing and Communication. Its staff members were recognized for their collaboration with the Northwest and surrounding communities to ensure Northwest’s story is accurately portrayed to a global audience, including through the University’s National Public Radio affiliate, KXCV-KRNW.

About the awards

The McCollough Award recognizes Northwest students or employees who are not members of the Police Department but have aided the department and its officers by offering solutions to prevent and solve crime, assisting an officer in the field or assisting the department in achieving its goals.

It is named for Monica McCollough, who served the Police Department as a student dispatcher, full-time dispatcher and office manager from 2002 to 2014. She improved department processes and implemented programs that continue to serve the Northwest community, including the Safe Ride Home program, which provides safe and timely transportation to students, and the Santa Cops program to assist families in Nodaway County with Christmas gifts.

The Ottman Award recognizes an individual who demonstrates ongoing community leadership through contributions to building a sense of unity and purpose. The recipient must be involved in volunteer programs, social groups or outreach centers. The recipient also demonstrates positive values and behaviors that inspire others to emulate and effect positive changes.

It is named for Raymond Ottman, a member of the University Police Department for 15 years. Ottman implemented resources and programs – such as Pizza and Police, CoCo with the PoPo, Bobby Palooza and Partners in Prevention, among others – that continue to serve the Northwest community. He departed the University Police Department in 2015 as a lieutenant of operations to become police chief at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. 

The Clarence Green Jr. Team Culture Award recognizes a team, through their intentional actions, that demonstrates a shared mindset by leveraging each member’s perspective and strengths through fostered collaboration and open dialogue, which instills trust and drives engagement.

Green served Northwest in numerous capacities during a 28-year span from 1996 until retiring from the University in 2024. He was appointed university police chief in 1997 and remained in that role until his retirement. In 2019, he was named Northwest’s vice president of culture, and he served as the institution’s interim president during the 2022-23 academic year. He currently is the dean and director of North Central Missouri College’s campus in Savannah.