A Sioux City police lieutenant who has spent decades waging war on drug abuse in Iowa’s most vulnerable neighborhoods is being recognized at the highest federal levels. Lt. Brad Bollinger, a fixture in community policing and youth outreach, is the 2018 recipient of the Enrique S. Camarena Award, bestowed by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The award, named for DEA Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, honors officers who embody the same courage and commitment Camarena showed before he was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered in Mexico in 1985 while investigating drug cartels. Each year, it’s awarded to local law enforcement whose work in drug prevention and enforcement goes far beyond the badge—officers who treat addiction and trafficking not just as crimes, but as community collapses waiting to happen.
Lt. Brad Bollinger hasn’t waited for crises to erupt. For years, he’s been in classrooms, town halls, and youth centers, delivering anti-drug curricula through the DARE and GREAT programs. As head of the Sioux City Police Department’s Youth Bureau and Community Policing Coordinator, Bollinger built initiatives like the “Books for Kids” program and secured grants aimed squarely at the opioid epidemic sweeping through the Midwest.
His reach extends beyond uniformed duty. Bollinger serves on multiple advisory boards focused on preventing drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse among minors—efforts that federal prosecutors say have reshaped the city’s approach to prevention. “Lieutenant Bollinger is a worthy recipient of the Enrique S. Camarena award,” said Peter E. Deegan, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. “He is a true public servant who recognizes that there are certain problems that cannot be solved through criminal prosecution alone.”
Darin Thimmesch, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Omaha Division, echoed the sentiment, calling the award recipients “the best of Special Agent Camarena” — men and women whose passion, commitment, and generosity bleed into every corner of their work. “It is an honor to recognize these men for their outstanding investigative efforts that have aided in disrupting the illegal activities of drug trafficking organizations from in and around Iowa,” Thimmesch said.
The award will be presented on May 16, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. during the Sioux City Police Department’s Spring Awards and Promotions Ceremony at the Betty Strong Encounter Center. No arrests, no indictments—just a rare moment of recognition for an officer who fights his battles in schools, not just on street corners.
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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