Victim advocate Ilka Roncone of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office has been named the 2026 Florida Sheriffs Association Civilian of the Year.
The award stems from a domestic violence case Roncone handled in May 2025 when the time she spent with a woman found with severe head injuries led to the arrest of her abusive husband.
"Through her tireless support of victims, she is not only changing individual lives but helping to forge stronger, safer communities across our state," the association's executive director, Matt Dunagan, said. "Ilka’s passion and genuine care for others make her an inspiring example of public safety service."
Roncone said she was "honored and touched" by the award. She views her victim advocate duties as much more than a job.
"Having compassion for people, sympathizing with what they've been through, it's a calling," she said. "When it all comes together for justice, that's one of the things I pray for … It gives value to the victim, that somebody listened to them, somebody cared."
Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said Roncone "has an extraordinary gift for supporting victims in their most vulnerable moments, treating every person with grace and support. She sees each case and victim as an opportunity, showing grace, compassion and unwavering commitment to victims, coworkers and our community."
The case began when a Sheriff’s Office patrol unit made a welfare check on a woman who hadn’t shown up for work. She was found with severe head injuries and hospitalized.
The woman had a history of abuse but was hesitant to identify her abuser and had no phone.
"Rancome stayed with the victim through the entire investigation, building enough trust that the woman finally told detectives what had happened which led to her abuser’s arrest," according to the association. "Roncone secured a bed for the victim in case she needed somewhere safe to go and made sure she had a working phone again. That phone mattered when days later the victim used it to report a burglar trying to get into her home. Without it, she might not have received help in time."
Prior to becoming a victim advocate, Rancone worked as the Person Crimes Unit’s staff assistant. In addition to maintained case file accuracy and tracking overdose data. she used "her bilingual skills to help victims who couldn’t otherwise tell their story to detectives," the association said. "Her colleagues and supervisors point to the same thing: she shows up for crime victims at their most vulnerable moments and doesn’t let go until they’re safe."
Beth Reese Cravey has been a reporter for The Florida Times-Union for 45 years, currently specializing in nonprofits and health. She can be reached at bcravey@jacksonville.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Clay County victim advocate honored for work in domestic violence case
