Sergeant Jason Winsky receives St. Thomas More Award

Sergeant Jason Winsky received the 2021 St. Thomas More Award at the Diocese of Tucson Red Mass on November 5, 2021. Learn about his involvement in law enforcement and committment to faith.

Sgt. Jason Winsky is a seventeen year veteran of the police department, a lifelong Catholic, and a community member devoted to volunteerism. As a police officer, Sgt. Winsky has dedicated his career to going above and beyond the call of duty to protect our community's most vulnerable populations. In 2014, he founded the department's Mental Health Support Team (MHST), a squad of officers and detectives dedicated to positive, compassionate responses to persons in crisis. On a yearly basis, Sgt. Winsky's team has thousands of interactions with persons experiencing mental health crises, homelessness, and substance use disorders: offering treatment instead of incarceration. Without using force, the MHST defuses crisis, diverts and deflects away from the jail, and transports persons to on-demand treatment options. In addition to his outward facing work in the community, Sgt. Winsky is responsible for training police officers county wide in communication and de-escalation techniques. Teaching is one of his passions. Sgt. Winsky has taught over 1,000 officers in Crisis Intervention Training, the gold standard in law enforcement interactions with persons in crisis. The training has reduced uses of force among law enforcement officers across Pima county and increased awareness of treatment options as a replacement to incarceration. Sgt. Winsky was raised by his mother, Dr. Dee Winsky, with a deepness of faith which he brings to all aspects of his life. Dee raised both of her children in a spirit of service; as a child psychologist she spent her life’s work helping the most vulnerable in our community. At a young age attending St. Cyril's school, Sgt. Winsky volunteered first with Operation Deep Freeze, then named Tucson Association for the Blind (now SAAVI). Later, at Salpointe Catholic High School and also in college at the University of Arizona, he volunteered at Pima Prevention Partnership, providing peer mentorship to youth experiencing homelessness and addiction. After college, he continued serving his community by joining the police department, where he continues his spirit of volunteerism. As one of the first to raise his hand to help out, Sgt. Winsky is often relied upon to help facilitate community events and outreach programs. He serves on the board of the Tucson Police Officers Association Kids and Cops program, which allows children in need, at Christmastime, to shop for clothes, necessities, and toys at a local Target store at no cost to the families. Recently, Sgt. Winsky volunteered to become a mentor for Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. As a mentor, Sgt. Winsky has been paired with David, a refugee recently re-located to Tucson from his home country of Cameroon. Sgt. Winsky has since guided David to enroll into a computer program at Pima Community college, where he hopes to study software design. Sgt. Winsky has spent his personal and professional life going above and beyond to help his community. His devotion to his faith has guided him to a path of service throughout his life.