Deputy Matthew Fleming and K-9 Niko Hometown Hero

New Hampshire Deputy Matthew Fleming and K-9 Niko Honored as Hometown Heroes

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Hampshire named Hillsborough County Deputy Matthew J. Fleming, an ICAC Task Force officer partnered with K-9 Niko, as New Hampshire’s Hometown Hero.

By Joy

Published Jun 30, 2026 Updated Jun 30, 2026 Verified sourcing

Official DOJ photo showing U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan presenting New Hampshire Hometown Hero recognition to Hillsborough County Deputy Matthew J. Fleming with K-9 Niko; ThinBlueNews added headline and source labeling.

CONCORD, New Hampshire — Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Deputy and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Officer Matthew J. Fleming has been named New Hampshire’s Hometown Hero, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire.

U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announced the recognition on May 20, 2026. The office said Fleming was honored during a ceremony at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where friends, colleagues and his police K-9 Niko gathered for the presentation.

Recognition tied to child-protection service

The Justice Department release said the Hometown Hero honor was given as part of recognitions connected to America’s 250th anniversary, with each federal district selecting one public servant for the award.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Fleming earned the recognition for years of service rescuing children from sexual abuse and preventing further victimization. The release said K-9 Niko is an electronic storage detection dog trained to find electronic media that may contain evidence of child abuse.

ThinBlueNews is keeping the case details broad because the official release focused on Fleming’s service and did not describe specific victims, investigations or pending cases.

Why the story matters to public-safety supporters

For Support Law Enforcement readers, the recognition highlights a side of police and sheriff’s office work that often stays out of public view: patient investigative work, child-protection cases, specialized K-9 training and the digital-evidence searches that can help stop further abuse.

The official ceremony photo shows the recognition as a human moment — a deputy, a federal prosecutor, colleagues and a working K-9 standing together around a mission most communities hope they never need but deeply depend on when children are at risk.

Sources reviewed

Editorial note: ThinBlueNews relied on the official DOJ release, used a real official ceremony photo with attribution, kept child-protection details broad, and did not add unverified case details or victim information. No fake AI imagery, paid promotion, DMs or outbound messages were used.