The Crime Victims Center of Chester County (CVC) presented Chester County detective sergeant Joseph Walton with the John J. Crane Child Advocacy Award during the second annual Show of Love Celebration event held at the Chester County History Center.

The John J. Crane Award was originally created by the Crime Victims Center Board of Directors in 1998 to honor and recognize the late John Crane, a Chester County prosecutor, for his amazing service to child victims and their families.

Walton came to the Chester County Detectives in the early 2000s after working with the Phoenixville Police Department as a detective sergeant. He started immediately in the Major Case Unit and the Terrorism Task Force before joining the Forensics Unit in 2003. In 2010, Walton volunteered to assist the Child Abuse Unit while working in forensics, and by 2020 he was promoted to sergeant of the Child Abuse and Computer Forensics Units.

Throughout his career, Walton has had a substantial background in protecting the community, conducting thorough investigations, and working collaboratively with partner agencies to secure justice for crime victims.

“We are lucky to have Detective Walton’s expertise and professionalism in the Chester County Detectives,” said Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe. “Simply put, his work has made Chester County a safer community.”

Chief Chester County Detective David Sassa said, “Detective Sergeant Joseph Walton works extremely hard every day as the supervisor of the Child Abuse Unit and the executive director of the Child Advocacy Center. He consistently puts victims first, ensuring that they and their families receive the support they need while pursuing justice.”