Raymore Police Officer Stephanie Hornbeck was recently honored by the Mid-America Crisis Intervention Team (MACIT) Council for helping a man struggling with substance abuse issues get the help he needed.

Hornbeck was among more than a dozen officers across the Kansas City metro area who were recognized for their work in helping people with mental health crises at an event hosted by MACIT on February 23.

The highest honor — the Officer of the Year award — was given to Hornbeck for her role in helping a man get back on his feet. He was reportedly in poor health when Hornbeck found him at his home and was without water, electricity or food.

Hornbeck helped get the man’s water and electricity bills paid and even bought food for him at a store. She then signed him up with local agencies that would assist him. She also followed up him and found that the man is now assigned to a caseworker and is doing well.

“As a police officer, I’m always going to treat every individual that I come in contact with as a human being,” Hornbeck said. “It was just the right thing to do.”

Hornbeck was also recognized with Raymore Police Department’s Officer of the Year award. The department took to Twitter to congratulate the officer for her outstanding year.

“Congratulations, Officer Stephanie Hornbeck, on your award for 2021 CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) officer of the year! Raymore officers train significantly in crisis intervention throughout their careers here. Those skills allow us to better help our community,” the department wrote.

“I’m very grateful for the recognition, and that they take the time to recognize all of the things that these officers are doing to help people in crisis,” Hornbeck said.

Hornbeck received 40 hours of mental health crisis training with the department, which is mandatory for all officers in Raymore.

Officers from Raymore, Belton, Grandview, Independence and other agencies were recognized at the event as well.