People expect men and women of law enforcement to be role models every day.

Sgt. Chris Gavette, of the University of Central Florida Police Department, does just that, and he was recently honored when he received a national leadership award.

When chatting with Gavette, it's pretty easy to tell he's a family man. And when he's playing football, he's all about the team. It's who he is.

"You really have to foster that family relationship so there's that trust when you're out there working the street and that safety is there and you know that I have your back," Gavette said.

That relationship paid off in March 2013.

Officers with the University of Central Florida Police Department were expecting pranks on St. Patrick's Day, but they weren't expecting a 911 call about a person with a gun inside a dorm room.

"He believed it to be his roommate, and he gave us his location," Gavette said, recalling the March 18 incident. "Obviously, myself with another brand new officer — he was a rookie at the time — and we ran upstairs and proceeded with the actual location."

The student, later identified as James Seevakumaran, 30, was found dead inside his dorm room in the Tower 1 residence hall in Knights Plaza.

"Your pulse is running," he said. "You know you're going to be amped up, but you have to maintain that calm and be sure you get the job done."

Gavette's leadership also shows up away from campus in his new role: defensive tackle and punter for the Orlando Guardians, a team in the National Public Safety Football League. The team competes around the country each spring to raise money for area charities.

"It's made up of firefighters, corrections officers and law enforcement within the Central Florida area," Gavette said. "Fantastic stuff. You get out there and meet them all and play football. You travel, and it's all for charity."

For his contributions to the police community and the public, Gavette was one of three winners in the RISE Awards presented for the first time to members of law enforcement by TASER and PoliceOne.

"I got the award, but I think it's a reflection of not just me, but all the guys that responded to that call and the way UCF stepped up," Gavette said.

Gavette was nominated for the award by UCF police officer Frank Imparto, who was Gavette's partner in the Tower 1 call last year.