The Rotary Club of Christiansburg-Blacksburg recently presented its 2020 Professional Leadership Award to Christiansburg Police Department investigator Maureen ‘Moe” McClanahan.
The club’s Professional Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have gone beyond the boundaries of conventional professional success by demonstrating exceptional leadership in the development and implementation of programs beneficial to the community. The award has been made annually since 2000 to individuals in diverse professions such as technology, education, medicine, finance and public safety.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, the award was presented via Zoom.
Investigator McClanahan is the Internet Crimes against Children (ICAC) Investigator for the Christiansburg Police Department (CPD). The CPD ICAC unit is part of the Southern Virginia ICAC Task Force encompassing the southern half of Virginia from Virginia Beach to Washington County. McClanahan investigates crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children through the use of the Internet and electronic devices and performs computer forensic exams locally and for agencies in the task force’s District 5 encompassing Craig, Giles, Floyd, Pulaski, Carroll, Galax, Wythe, and Grayson Counties and the City of Radford.
McClanahan’s diligence and expertise have brought justice to many families throughout Southwest Virginia.
CPD Lieutenant Randy Bonds said of McClanahan, [She] “has a passion and dedication to this position like none I have seen before. Most people have a job to do; Moe has a mission when it comes to her job.”
That mission has included developing Internet safety educational programs for children of all ages, as well as their parents and teachers. She has shared these programs with thousands of people throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia through face-to-face and online presentations and through tips on social media platforms with the goal of making everyone’s Internet experiences safer.
In addition to her work at the Christiansburg Police Department, Investigator McClanahan is a strong advocate for Special Olympics. Nancy Morehouse, Southwest Region Director for Special Olympics Virginia, spoke highly of McClanahan’s 20 years of volunteering with Special Olympics as a regional coordinator, helping to organize local events, running in over 20 Law Enforcement Torch Runs and accompanying the Virginia team to Austria for the 2017 Special Olympics World Games as the Last Leg of the torch run. Even in 2020 with the Torch Run canceled due to COVID-19, McClanahan took part in a virtual torch run in Christiansburg “to spread the awareness of inclusion for all people.”
Founded in 1923, the motto of The Rotary Club of Christiansburg-Blacksburg was founded in 1923 with the organization’s motto of “Service above Self.” The club’s Professional Leadership and Citizen of the Year Awards, youth development programs and community service projects as well as participation in Rotary International programs like PolioPlus and Group Study Exchanges exemplify the club’s dedication to this motto.