Awards presented by MCCA . . .

David works for the Minnesota Department of Corrections as a Corrections Agent in Buffalo, Minnesota. He strives to assist offenders on his caseload to successfully complete their probation/supervision period. He readily takes the time to help others in need of an interpreter for Spanish-speaking offenders who are going through the various phases of the criminal justice system. He not only speaks their language, but he understands their culture. He is readily available to the Wright County Sheriff’s Department as well as other DOC personnel to serve as an interpreter for PSI interviews and probation intakes.

Dave served on DOC’s Diversity Committee for five years serving as the committee chair for three of those years. The first-ever Diversity Symposium was sponsored by DOC during his tenure. He has also been involved with conflict resolution consulting, most recently assisting the director of a local juvenile facility develop a training tool for managing workplace diversity. He is often contacted by other criminal justice agencies for information on various topics relating to probation, including the LSI, sentencing guidelines and sex offender registration requirements. His coworkers describe him in this way: “Dave is kind and helpful. He is always willing to assist others in their office and he treats offenders on his caseload in a courteous and respectful manner. Dave has always been a team player and goes the extra mile for coworkers and clients. He does his job and he does it well.”

Congratulations to David Leal and thanks for your dedication and commitment.