CLAY COUNTY – For the second year in a row, the Florida Sheriffs Association selected a member of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office as the state’s top law enforcement employee. 

Ilka Roncone, a Victim’s Advocate, was honored as the Civilian of the Year Tuesday night after she helped a victim of domestic abuse to provide information that eventually led to the arrest of her husband. 

“They reached out to Ilka as a Victim's Advocate and said, ‘Hey, we'd like for you to try to reach out to her because we truly think that she may be in danger’,” Sheriff Michelle Cook said. “So, Ilka was able to connect with this victim at a local hospital."

Roncone gave the woman a ride home so she could collect her belongings, including her cellphone. The victim then told Roncone her husband had abused her. That is information that the deputies were not able to get from her.

Roncone said the woman called her later after she heard someone jiggling the front doorknob, trying to break in. The woman called 911, and her husband was arrested a short time later. 

“If Ilka had not connected with this victim, had not ensured that this victim had a cell phone, we would probably have a severely beaten or possibly dead victim right now,” Cook said. 

Roncone called her job “a calling.” 

“When it all comes together for justice, that's one of the things I always pray for is justice for the victims,” Roncone said. “We work very hard to make sure that that happens. It gives value to the victim that somebody listened, somebody cared and somebody worked very hard to believe them.” 

Detectives Eva Solis and Ryan Ellis were selected as Florida’s Law Enforcement Officers of the Year in 2025 for their work at tracking down and arresting a couple who were charged with multiple counts of child sexual battery.