(WSIL) -- Governor Mike Parson Tuesday awarded Missouri Public Safety Medals to 23 first responders and 4 civilians for heroic and life-saving actions last year.Ìý
The awardsÌýare Missouri’s highest recognition for first responders acting during critical incidents.
The ceremony included the presentation of Missouri’s new Red, White, and Blue Heart Award, which is awarded to individuals seriously injured or killed in the line of duty. Three of the five Red, White, and Blue Hearts were conferred posthumously.
Four civilians were also honored with the Public Safety Civilian Partnership Award for their brave acts to save the lives of others or provide vital assistance to first responders while risking their own safety.
Medal of Valor
Missouri's highest award recognizing public safety officers who exhibit exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness and presence of mind, and unusual swiftness of action, regardless of his or her personal safety, in the attempt to save or protect human life.
- Jeffrey D. Collins and John G. Lehman, Jefferson City Police Department
- In January 2021 the officers responded to a man armed with a large knife threatening customers. The man refused to drop the knife and eventually rushed Officer Collins, attempting to stab him. Both officers discharged their weapons for the safety of Officer Collins.
- Timothy L. Shipp, Eureka Police DepartmentÌý
- In January 2021 Officer Shipp heard radio traffic about a house fire. He arrived on scene and found the home fully engulfed in flames. He learned a disabled woman was still inside. Officer Shipp, and a neighbor, crawled through the house and dragged the woman to safety.
- Zim Schwartze, Missouri Capitol Police
- In February 2021 Chief Schwartze was driving home from an appointment and came across a house fire. A man in his 60s had already stopped and told her there were several dogs in the home. Chief Schwartze ran into the burning house and called out to see if anyone was inside. A man appeared and said he fell asleep in the basement and woke up to her calls. She got the man and several dogs to safety.Ìý
- The man Chief Schwartze initially talked to in the driveaway had then collapsed and was not breathing. She called 911 and began chest compressions until first responders could arrive.Ìý
William J. Knittel Jr. and Michael E. Werges, Eureka Police Department
In February 2021 Sgt. Knittel and Lt. Werges responded to a call saying a man was waving a handgun at a woman. The woman told the officers the man was holding the gun to his head and children were inside. A gunshot was heard and the officers immediately entered the home to search for the children. Officers made verbal contact with the man and were able to carry the children outside. A second shot was heard and the woman ran out. The gunman barricaded himself in another room and after several hours of negotiations, surrendered.
- Jeffrey A. Hilke, Cole County Sheriff’s Office
- In April 2021 Reserve Deputy Sheriff Hilke was working his civilian position as a funeral director where a family was preparing for a memorial service. The ex-husband of a family member entered the mortuary and confronted his ex-wife. After arguing, the man attempted to pull the woman into another room and when she resisted he pulled a gun. Deputy Hilke and another man rushed the gunman to attempt to take control of the gun. As they fought, the gun's magazine was ejected. They continued to fight as the gunman tried to pull out another magazine. Other officers arrived and helped successfully arrest the man.Ìý
- Dawson M. Payne and John G. Lehman, Jefferson City Police Department
- In June 2021 Officer Trainee Payne was patrolling with Field Training Officer Lehman. They initiated a traffic stop for expired registration in the middle of heavily traveled six lane street. Due to the traffic, Officer Payne and Lehman approached from the passenger side. As Payne got closer, he saw the man with his hand on a gun. The drive quickly raised the rifle and pushed it toward the officer's face. Officer Payne ducked down and yelled "Gun, gun gun." Both officers drew their weapons and gave commands to the driver to drop the weapon. The driver pushed the rifle out of the window. Fearing for their lives and their partner's lives, both officers fired their weapons. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and officers later determined the driver did fire his weapon toward the officers.Ìý
- Kurt A. Schmutzler and Bradley E. Maudlin, Missouri State Highway Patrol
- In late June 2021, Sgt. Schmutzler responded to flash flooding in Amazonia, MO. He requested assistance and deployed an inflatable rescue boat. He and Cpl. Maudlin helped rescue 27 people from high waters, even putting their own safety at risk in the high current. The officers used boats and life jackets to walk and pull all the residents to safety.Ìý
- Colton J. Beck, Missouri State Highway Patrol
- In December 2021, Trooper Beck attempted to stop a vehicle for running a red light. The driver didn't stop and a pursuit began. The driver drove off the road and down an embankment. When Trooper Beck approached the vehicle, the driver continued to attempt to flee. He commanded the driver to get out of the vehicle and the driver responded with gun fire. Trooper Beck returned fire and the gunman fled on foot. Trooper Beck was seriously wounded, but continued to help other officers retrieve the suspect. His help and information led to the suspect's arrest the next morning.Ìý
Governor’s Medal
Awarded to a group of public safety officers in recognition of acts above and beyond the call of normal duty during a critical incident in which the collective performance of the group was essential to the successful resolution of the incident.
- Justin W. Bryant, Michael W. Deck, Kyle R. Embrey, Kristin N. Engle, Dawn M. Neuman, John F. O’Neill IV, Shanna M. Ostendorf, and Robert J. Tosie, St. Louis County Police Department
- In July 2021 the highway safety unit of the St. Louis County Police Department was in a restaurant in Lake Ozark. The officers were off duty and not in uniform when they heard gunfire across the street. The officers displayed their badges and drew their weapons as they approached a shootout between rival outlaw motorcycle gangs. The officers instructed one victim to crawl between vehicles to a spot they could provide medical aid. Once local officers arrived and the gunfire ended, the officers assisted in securing the scene, detaining suspects, and collecting witnesses.Ìý
Public Safety Civilian Partnership Award
Awarded to a civilian who has provided valuable or courageous assistance to members of a Missouri public safety agency in an emergency situation.
- Justin M. Flynn, nominated by Eureka Police Department
- In January 2021 Flynn awoke to a series of loud explosions. He checked outside and saw a home on fire down the road. He drove to the home and learned an elderly disabled woman was still inside. He went in the back of the home and attempted to find the woman. He exited, due to smoke, and was met by Officer Timothy Shipp. The pair entered the home together, found the woman on the floor and pulled her to safety.Ìý
- In January 2021 Flynn awoke to a series of loud explosions. He checked outside and saw a home on fire down the road. He drove to the home and learned an elderly disabled woman was still inside. He went in the back of the home and attempted to find the woman. He exited, due to smoke, and was met by Officer Timothy Shipp. The pair entered the home together, found the woman on the floor and pulled her to safety.Ìý
- Joshua James-Troutt and Travis Terry, nominated by Callaway County Sheriff’s Office
- In October 2021 Deputy John Nielsen responded to a call for a rollover crash and was waved over by two stopped drivers.ÌýThey pointed to the crash scene and then to a man 200 yards away who was walking directly into traffic.ÌýDeputy Nielsen drove to the man’s location with his emergency lights activated, stopped, and instructed him to place his hands on his patrol vehicle’s bumper. The man, who was about 6-foot-5 and weighed over 200 pounds, called for the deputy to shoot him, refused to comply, and walked back into traffic. Deputy Nielsen attempted to restrain the man, but he resisted and eventually wound up on top of the deputy’s chest by the side of the highway. The man attempted to pull the deputy's gun as two other drivers arrived on scene. James-Troutt and Terry grabbed the suspect and managed to pull him off Deputy Nielsen. The suspect was then hit with a stun gun and arrested. The men helped save the deputy's life and arrest a dangerous suspect.
- Bryan Yarbrough, nominated by Bolivar City Fire Department
- In November 2021 Yarbrough was driving back to a hospital where his fiancéÌýhad just delivered a baby, when he noticed the roof of a house on fire. He stopped and knocked on the door. There was no response, but he could hear animals so he opened the door. While looking for the animals, he found two adults asleep in bed. He woke them and then helped get them and their animals to safety.
Red, White and Blue Heart Award
This is the first year the Red, White, and Blue Heart Award is being awarded. The annual award may be presented to any first responder who under honorable circumstances is critically, seriously, or fatally injured while performing official duties in the line of duty. The injury must require long-term treatment by a medical professional and considerable loss of time from duty.
- Blaize A. Madrid-Evans, Independence Police DepartmentÌý
- In September 2021 Office Madrid-Evans was one of four officers who responded to a home to check for a man wanted on a warrant. Officer Madrid-Evans was a recent graduate and still undergoing training. As officers encountered the man, he quickly removed a gun and fired at the closest officer. That shot killed Officer Madrid-Evans. Another officer shot and killed the suspect.Ìý
- Officer Madrid-Evans was just 22 years old, but had proven himself to be a selfless individual, who was committed to helping others and carrying out the highest ideals that are embraced by law enforcement officers. He was an organ donor, and his donation helped sustain the lives of 75 people, including Springfield, Missouri, Police Officer Mark Priebe, who had been paralyzed in the line of duty in 2020, and received a life-saving kidney transplant.Ìý
- Antonio A. Valentine, St. Louis County Police Department
- In December 2021 as part of a narcotics investigation, detectives attempted to stop a stolen vehicle. The drive fled, but a pursuit wasn't initiated due to the high rate of speed. Detective Valentine and his partner were responded to the area to assist when their police vehicle was struck head-on by the fleeing suspect. The collision killed Detective Valentine.ÌýDuring more than two decades in the military, he had deployed to combat missions in Iraq and Kyrgyzstan. He had honorably served the St. Louis County Police Department for 14 years.ÌýÌý
- Bryant E. Gladney, Boone County Fire Protection District
- In December 2021 Assist. Chief Gladney was overseeing response to a traffic crash on Interstate 70. ChiefÌýGladney had activiated his emergency equipment and was taking a blocking/warning position at the crash scene. Before he could exit his vehicle, a semi that was speeding and failed to flow down, struck his vehicle. This crash killed Chief Gladney.Ìý
- Chief Gladney had spent a total of more than 36 years with the fire protection district and emergency medical services. He ran the district’s EMS bureau and training bureau, where he mentored the next generation of firefighters. He had responded to Ground Zero following the September 11 attacks as a member of Missouri Task Force 1, the state’s federal urban search and rescue team.
- Robert C. Bridges, Springfield-Greene County Park Board
- In November 2021 Park Ranger Bridges was on patrol and heard officers were searching for an armed person. Ranger Bridges has jurisdiction across Greene County. He went to the scene and was assigned to take a position on the perimeter. He soon observed movement in the darkness and as he drove toward the movement he saw the suspect. The suspect quickly turned and fired ten shots through the windshield of Ranger Bridges' vehicle. One shot hit his wrist and exited through his elbow, and two shots hit his right arm. Ranger Bridges exited his vehicle and rolled to the ground in an attempt to take cover. The gunman shot him again, once through the right leg and twice in the ribs. His ballistic vest stopped the shots to his rib cage.ÌýThe gunman then attempted to disarm Ranger Bridges, who, despite two broken arms and having been shot six times, rolled away to protect his gun and fought him off. Two Springfield police officers arrived on scene and were able to end the threat to Ranger Bridges. Since the attack, he has had multiple surgeries and will undergo additional surgeries in the future.
- Colton J. Beck, Missouri State Highway PatrolÌý
- In December 2021 Trooper Beck attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver fled and the vehicle became disabled. As he approached the driver's door, the suspect fired a single shot from a shotgun through the window. Trooper Beck, although seriously wounded, returned fire. Trooper Beck was struck in the face, head, neck and shoulder. He underwent emergency surgery and is eventually had to have one eye removed.ÌýTrooper Beck recuperated and returned to service with the Missouri State Highway Patrol.Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý
