Three New Castle police officers scored high honors lately in events that highlight their prowess and dedication to the community.

Detective Hailey Houk was honored with the Blue Ribbon Champion for Safe Kids award in Harrisburg. This award was presented by the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance (PFSA) in recognition of April being is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Houk is one of four individuals in the state to receive the award in recognition of her sustained dedication and outstanding efforts to protect children and youths in the community.

She was also presented with a governor’s proclamation.

Houk joined the New Castle Police Department as a part-time officer on March 11, 2020. She was promoted to full-time a year later and worked as a patrol officer until August of last year when she was assigned to the department’s criminal investigations unit as a detective, specializing in sexual assault cases. She also worked as a field training officer while working in patrol.

“We’re very proud of her prestigious award,” New Castle Police Department Chief David Cumo said. “She really rose to that level of achievement in a short time and is a real asset to our investigations unit, especially with her work in sexual assault.”

He said her work is involved because of the many reports the city police get regarding child sexual assaults.

“People report them on ChildLine and we receive a lot of them,” Cumo said. “She’s taken over the majority of the sexual assault allegations and investigations that have come in.”

Houk works closely with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Lawrence County and is a member of its STOP team. She is also involved in crisis intervention programs going on in the county.

Patrol officers Cpl. Nathaniel Miller and Amanda Ventura placed first in bench competitions for the Carter Huzinec Memorial Powerlifting Meet and Strongman Event for Traumatic Brain Injury and Awareness & Support on March 22 at the New Beaver Borough Fire Department.

The competition was presented by Wampum Fitness and Carter4LifeCompany, a nonprofit organization.

The event, hosted by his family and friends, is in memory of Carter Huzinec, 20, who died of a traumatic brain injury suffered in an ATV accident. Huzinec was known for his strength in the gym and for the dedication he showed to people around him. Proceeds from the competition benefit the Pittsburgh Brain Injury Awareness Association.

Ventura won first in the bench contest with 215 pounds and placed second in the deadlift contest with 325 pounds.

Miller won first in the bench contest with 400 pounds, and first in the deadlift with 550 pounds at the event.

Ventura started her career with New Castle as a part-time officer 11 years ago and was promoted to full-time in 2019.

She became the trained handler of K-9 Franky in 2021. She is a member of the Lawrence County special investigative unit/drug task force, the critical incident response team and the city police department’s major crime response team.

Miller started his career with New Castle on Jan. 17, 2013, and was promoted to full-time nearly three years later. He was promoted to the rank of corporal on July 12 last year.

“They’re becoming two of our more experienced and well-rounded patrol officers,” Cumo said of Miller and Ventura. “Their dedication to the competition is a reflection of their dedication to their job performance. Staying physically fit is a good way to keep healthy, which is necessary for our profession,” he added.

From New Castle News, April 5, 2025