NEW YORK — Police1 contributor Kathleen Dias has earned the 2025 Jesse H. Neal Award for best commentary for her series examining operational and financial pressures on rural law enforcement agencies.
The Jesse H. Neal Awards are among the most prestigious honors in business-to-business journalism, celebrating editorial excellence, impactful storytelling and industry leadership.
“Writing about officers working in small towns and remote places is personal to me; it was my family’s life for nearly 30 years and their stories had always been overlooked,” Dias told Police1. “They are an invisible and voiceless demographic, doing demanding work with few of the resources taken for granted in urban settings. Being recognized with an honor as prestigious as the Neal Award fills me with relief and hope that their stories are finally being heard.”
Lexipol Media Group President Rob Schneider said the win “acknowledges the impact our content can make” and reflects the dedication of the company’s editorial teams.
Lexipol Media Group was also a finalist in six categories:
- Best range of work by a single author – EMS1, “EMS One Stop” by Rob Lawrence
- Best series – EMS1, “Pioneers in Practice: Case Studies in Telehealth and Community Paramedicine” by Kerri Hatt
- Best profile – FireRescue1, “‘Be bold’: Why Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell believes now is the time for women in fire” by Rachel Engel
- Best profile – Police1, “At NYPD’s real-time crime center, the future of policing has arrived” by Katja Ridderbusch
- Best range of work by a media brand – Police1 staff (Nancy Perry, Sarah Calams, Sarah Roebuck and Joanna Putnam)
- Best series – Police1, “Women in law enforcement” by Nancy Perry and Sarah Calams
The Neal Awards, judged by peer journalists, selected 236 finalists this year. Winners were announced at a May 21 luncheon in New York City.
