San Diego Deputy District Attorney Leonard Trinnh was recently selected to receive the Anti-Defamation League 2022 Helene and Joseph Sherwood prize for combating hate.
The Anti-Defamation League’s Sherwood Prize recognizes those law enforcement professionals who make a difference to their communities and serve as role models in their departments. According to District Attorney Summer Stephan, it is his ongoing commitment, support and contribution to eliminate hate and prejudice that lead to this award.
Trinh has been a prosecutor with the San Diego DA’s Office for 12 years and has worked in the Family Protection Division prosecuting domestic violence and child physical and sexual abuse for more than half of his career.
He has tried nearly 60 cases to verdict, including homicides, multiple-victim child molests, and three-strikes cases. Between 2014 and 2017, he was the lead prosecutor assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
“We respect his innovative program he has spear-headed that will have a direct positive impact on victims of hate crimes and should deter perpetrators from committing further crimes against the vulnerable communities they target. His efforts certainly underscore the importance of how each person can make a significant difference in combating hate, bigotry and extremism," said Jeffrey Abrams, the Deputy Regional Director of the Los Angeles Anti-Defamation League.
Trinh is currently the lead Hate Crimes prosecutor for the DA’s Office and regularly teaches at the law enforcement regional academy on hate crimes. He is also a speaker at community forums throughout the county and serves as the Vice Chairperson of the San Diego Regional Hate Crimes Coalition and the Chair of the Regional Law Enforcement Intelligence Committee.
This award has been presented since 1966 to law enforcement professionals, units or departments serving areas in Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties.
