BRADENTON--The International Association of Chiefs of Police has awarded Bradenton Police Detective Sgt.Valerie Shoates with a scholarship to attend an upcoming training conference on sexual assault response. She will attend the Sixth National Sexual Assault Response Team Training (SART) Conference this May in Austin, Texas.
Funding for the scholarship has been provided by the U.S. Department of Justice with the aim of enhancing law enforcement's response to victims of sexual assault crimes. The scholarship is for $1,500. Detective Sgt. Shoates has been with the department since August 1994.