MOAB, Utah — 2020 was a year to remember for one Moab police officer after she was honored with the Utah small agency officer of the year award by the Utah Police Chief’s Association.

All it takes is one time and you’ll know Amanda Edwards cares about her job, or more importantly, cares about the people she comes across while she’s doing her job.

“I love this community,” said Edwards.

Edwards is a police officer with the Moab Police Department.

“I graduated the academy a year ago,” she said.

Edwards got into law enforcement later than most officers. She’s in her mid 30’s but has always enjoyed helping people who need it.

She said she knows a lot of people don’t trust officers, but she takes that as a challenge to get to know people on a personal level.

“I just want to make sure as I approach people, they see me as a person doing my job, instead of as a uniform walking up,” she said. “That is really my goal, is to break that wall between us, like I’m a person just doing my job just like you are. That’s it.”

Just a few months ago, Edwards received an NAACP award for how she handled de-escalating a man with a gun who was threatening two women during a domestic violence call.

During this call, Edwards was involved in rescuing a woman who hid in a trailer on the property.

Chief Bret Edge with the Moab Police Department said he wishes he could clone Edwards because of everything she does and represents for the department.

She has also recently been named the Utah small agency officer of the year for 2020 by the Utah Police Chief’s Association.

Edwards said she was shocked to get the award because she’s still so new to the profession, but she said it also lets her know she’s doing something right.

“It’s something that I have always wanted to do, but I always had so much doubt that I would be able to do this,” she said. “It’s a tough job. It really is a tough job, but I’m loving every minute of it and I’m really having fun.”