Special Agent in Charge Justin Gerken of the FBI Billings Field Office presented Alex Ward of Billings with the 2025 FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) for his service to the people of Montana. Ward, a retired police officer, military veteran, and a past employee and now volunteer with AARP Montana, has partnered with the FBI to raise awareness about financial crimes, especially those targeting seniors, who can be more vulnerable to scams.
The FBI established the DCLA in 1990 to publicly acknowledge the achievements of those working to make a difference in their communities through the promotion of education and the prevention of crime and violence. Each year, one person or organization from each of the FBI’s 56 field offices is chosen to receive this prestigious award. This is the first DCLA award presented by the FBI Billings Field Office since its establishment in December of 2025.
“The fight against financial crime extends beyond law enforcement, and every informed citizen is one less potential victim,” Gerken said. “We are proud to recognize Mr. Ward for his unwavering commitment to raising awareness, strengthening fraud prevention efforts, and helping the FBI safeguard communities across our state.”
The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report shows cyber-enabled crimes defrauded Americans of nearly $21 billion. Complaints from victims over 60 exceeded 201,000, and reported losses were more than $7.7 billion. In Montana that year, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 2,400 complaints with losses totaling more than $53 million.
Since 2025, Ward has partnered with the FBI and state outreach programs to form a fraud-fighting team dedicated to fraud awareness and prevention. In addition, Ward has connected law enforcement partners with the Native communities, financial institutions, and local organizations by co-hosting presentations and staffing information tables at public events.
The FBI recognizes the important role that community partnerships play in keeping our shared communities safe. These partnerships—as exemplified by the breadth of the work by the DCLA recipients—have led to a host of crime prevention programs that protect the most vulnerable in our communities, educate families and businesses about cyber threats, and work to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods. Learn more about the Director’s Community Leadership Award program, the FBI’s general outreach efforts, and the FBI Billings Field Office.