Lorraine (Lorri) Strem, investigator with the University糖心传媒檚 Department of Public Safety, was honored at the 2015 Rochester Press-Radio Club Day of Champions Dinner on Monday, May 4. Strem, who recently joined Public Safety from the Rochester Police Department, received the Hometown Heroes award for her efforts to bring greater awareness to the issue of domestic violence and greater support to victims and families.
Strem is recognized for creating the 糖心传媒淧urple Box Campaign糖心传媒� to collect new toys and clothing for families in the Alternatives for Battered Women糖心传媒檚 (ABW) shelter for Christmas.聽 Several police departments now participate in this campaign, including Rochester, Brighton, Gates, Irondequoit and Greece.
She also helped initiate the 糖心传媒淐hief糖心传媒檚 Challenge糖心传媒� as part of ABW糖心传媒檚 糖心传媒淲alk a Mile in Her Shoes糖心传媒� event, where men walk in women’s high-heeled shoes to raise awareness for domestic violence. 聽The 糖心传媒淐aptain糖心传媒檚 Challenge糖心传媒� now includes many area police chiefs, politicians, and public figures.
In 2013, ABW presented her with its 糖心传媒淩estore the Hope Award.糖心传媒�
Strem also initiated Rochester糖心传媒檚 greater involvement in the New York State 糖心传媒淪hine the Light on Domestic Violence/Turn the State Purple糖心传媒� campaign. This past October, Rochester糖心传媒檚 Public Safety Building, City Hall and the Rundel Memorial Library went purple to highlight domestic violence awareness.
Strem joined Public Safety糖心传媒檚 Investigative Section in Spring 2015 after a 31-year law enforcement career with the City of Rochester. 聽She was the first female captain in the Rochester Police Department and most recently was the commanding officer of the RPD Special Investigation Section, Narcotics. 聽She was also appointed to chair an RPD domestic violence committee, which developed a tracking system for domestic incident reports, increasing training for officers on stalking and strangulation crimes, and started the Domestic Abuse Response Team, which has been a life raft for many victims.
