Medal of Valor Ceremony

Officer Andrew Michael Keith

Officer Keith receives the award for his heroic and quick reaction on March 13, 2012 to a Tennessee Highway Patrol car on fire after a collision with a truck. The car’s driver, Sgt. Lowell Russell, was unconscious and trapped in the vehicle. When Officer Keith reached the scene, he radioed dispatch for the fire department to respond and used his shirt to beat back the flames while trying to reach the injured trooper. When he was able to make contact, he positioned Trooper Russell to keep the flames away from his body, while two citizens assisted in cutting Trooper Russell from his seat belt. After freeing the trooper, Officer Keith then took control of the scene and kept people away from the vehicle, which exploded from a discharge of ammunition within. Due to the diligence of Officer Keith and the concerned citizens, Sgt. Russell survived the accident and his injuries and began rehabilitation a few weeks later.

VP Joe Biden

Vice President Joe Biden host the Medal of Valor ceremony on February 11, 2015, in the EEOB auditorium

Attorney. General Eric Holder

Atty. Gen. Eric Holder assisting VP Joe Biden in hosting the Public Safety Medal of Honor on February 11, 2015, in the EEOB auditorium.

Sgt Nathan Hutchinson

Sgt. Nathan Hutchinson, an officer within the Weber Morgan Narcotic Strike Force, receives the award for his heroic actions to rescue fellow officers Jan. 4, 2012, when agents served a search warrant at a home in Ogden, Utah. Once inside, the agents came under fire by the subject of the warrant. During this assault, Agent Sean Grogan was shot in the face, and was helped out of the residence by another agent. The assailant also shot and struck multiple times Agents Kasey Burrell and Jared Francom, who were left disabled and unconscious on the scene. Agent Francom was shot multiple times and died a few hours later. Agent Burrell was shot in the stomach and the forehead and is in the process of making a difficult recovery. Sgt. Hutchinson suffered three gunshot wounds that have resulted in permanent and debilitating injuries. The assailant suffered non-life threatening injuries and was taken into custody

Sgt. Bradley Alan Wick

Sgt. Bradley Alan Wick receives the award for his heroic actions during a police chase of a convicted felon and his female companion Aug. 28, 2011, a day after they had committed armed robbery and carjacking. The chase ended in a residential area where the felon and his companion entered a home and shot the female occupant. Sgt. Wick, along with his canine partner, Abe, entered the home and was ambushed by gun fire, but returned fire and managed to fatally wound the felon. The home’s resident survived her injury

The Medal of Valor

The Medal of Valor certificate for John F. Capano at the Medal of Valor ceremony on February 11, 2015, in the EEOB

Overcome with Grief

Latrice Tucker (Fiancée) comforts Maxine Hooks, Mother of Slain Officer Clifton P Lewis before they received the Medal of Valor for Clifton P Lewis, seen here on February 11, 2015

Maxine Hooks

Maxine Hooks accepts the Medal of Valor award for her son Officer Clifton P. Lewis. Officer Lewis was recognized for his dedication to duty and heroic actions Dec. 29, 2011. He was working in off-duty employment at a local grocery store when two armed and masked gunman entered the store with a semi-automatic weapon and demanded money. Officer Lewis announced that he was an officer and moved to shield other employees as he drew his weapon. By openly identifying his office and attempting to engage the criminals with his weapon, Officer Lewis was able to prevent death or injury to the employees and customers of the grocery store. Officer Lewis was struck four times by the offender’s bullets and ultimately succumbed to his wounds.

Sgt. Michael Darrell Brown

Sgt. Michael Darrell Brown receives the award for his heroic actions in saving the life of a woman during an attempted murder by her estranged boyfriend. On Sept. 6, 2011 Sgt. Brown noticed a couple fighting inside a moving vehicle on an interstate highway. Sgt. Brown pursued the speeding vehicle until the driver abruptly drove it into the Indian River, where it stopped in waist-deep water, approximately 100 feet from shore. Sgt. Brown radioed for fire rescue units and then entered the river and rushed toward the partially submerged vehicle in an effort to rescue the female passenger who was being repeatedly stabbed by the male. Sgt. Brown got close enough to fire six shots at the suspect without hitting the victim. He then broke the passenger window, pulled the victim from the vehicle and carried her to the shore where paramedics began administering aid. After medical treatment, surgery, and a long hospital stay, the victim recovered from her injuries. The assailant died as a result of his wounds.

Lt. Brian Murphy

Lt. Brian Murphy and Officer Lenda receive the award for their valiant and selfless efforts during a shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin Aug. 15, 2012. Responding to numerous calls regarding a disturbance at the Temple, Lt. Murphy first saw two fatally injured victims, and the suspect running out of the Temple. When Lt. Murphy drew his weapon, the suspect fired at him, hitting him in the throat, hand and legs. When Officer Lenda arrived he began shooting, striking and partially disabling the suspect, who then crawled out of sight. Shortly thereafter they heard a single shot as the suspect took his own life.

Officer Savan Lenda

Lt. Brian Murphy and Officer Savan Lenda receive the award for their valiant and selfless efforts during a shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin Aug. 15, 2012. Responding to numerous calls regarding a disturbance at the Temple, Lt. Murphy first saw two fatally injured victims, and the suspect running out of the Temple. When Lt. Murphy drew his weapon, the suspect fired at him, hitting him in the throat, hand and legs. When Officer Lenda arrived he began shooting, striking and partially disabling the suspect, who then crawled out of sight. Shortly thereafter they heard a single shot as the suspect took his own life.

Sgt. John MacLellan of the Watertown Police Dept., Massachusetts

Sgt John MacLellan and the Watertown Watertown Police Dept. received this award for their courageous efforts in protecting the community and saving the life of one of their own during a firefight on April 19, 2013 with a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing

Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese

Sgt Jeffrey Pugliese with the Watertown Police Department Police and Fire Department received this award for their courageous efforts in protecting the community and saving the life of one of their own during a firefight on April 19, 2013 with a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing

Officer Timothy Menton of Watertown Police Dept., Massachusetts

Officer Timothy Menton from the Watertown Police Department received this award for his courageous efforts in protecting the community and saving the life of one of their own during a firefight on April 19, 2013 with a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing

Officer Miguel Colon Jr.

Officer Miguel Colon Jr from the Watertown Police Department received this award for his courageous efforts in protecting the community and saving the life of one of their own during a firefight on April 19, 2013 with a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing

Firefighter James Caruso

Firefighter James Caruso received this award for his courageous efforts in protecting the community and saving the life of one of their own during a firefight on April 19, 2013 with a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing

Firefighter Patrick Menton

Firefighter Patrick Menton received this award for his courageous efforts in protecting the community and saving the life of one of their own during a firefight on April 19, 2013 with a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing

Chief John Curley

On Nov. 12, 2012, the Bellmore Fire Department was alerted to a house fire with a victim trapped inside. Former Chief Curley (who remains a member of the Bellmore Fire Department) and his son, in a fire department pick-up truck nearby, heard the call and were first on the scene. A man in the driveway said his elderly mother was trapped in a second-floor bedroom. With no fire vehicles on the scene, former Chief Curley used a file cabinet topped by an old broken wooden ladder to climb to the bedroom window, breaking it with his bare hands, which exposed him to heavy black smoke billowing from the room. Because the first responders had not yet arrived, he was without the protection of a hose line, breathing apparatus or protective gear. Nevertheless, former Chief Curley entered the room knowing that he had only a few seconds before it would be totally engulfed in fire. Once inside, he found the woman lying unconscious inside the room. With no fire vehicles on the scene, former Chief Curley used a file cabinet topped by an old broken wooden ladder to climb to the bedroom window, breaking it with his bare hands, which exposed him to heavy black smoke billowing from the room. Because the first responders had not yet arrived, he was without the protection of a hose line, breathing apparatus or protective gear. Nevertheless, former Chief Curley entered the room knowing that he had only a few seconds before it would be totally engulfed in fire. Once inside, he found the woman lying unconscious inside the room

Special Agent Christian Galeski

Special Agents Brocklyn Bahe, Christian Galeski, Matthew Nagle, Joseph Montoya and Rodney Draper are all recognized for their courageous efforts in safely rescuing a five-year-old child who was abducted Jan. 29, 2013, after a man boarded a school bus and shot and killed the bus driver after he refused to hand over two children as hostages. The armed suspect abducted a child from the bus and held him for six days in an underground bunker with multiple weapons and improvised explosive devices, while making unreasonable and incoherent demands. The agents assessed that negotiations would fail, so at grave personal risk to themselves they conducted a rescue mission on Feb. 4. When the agents entered the bunker, the subject shot at them from less than five feet away using the child as a shield. During the initial assault, the subject detonated an external IED, and was believed to be in the process of attempting to detonate a second IED inside the bunker. Without regard for their own safety, several more rescue team operators entered the bunker under heavy gunfire. One of them, Special Agent Bahe, dropped into the darkened, smoke-filled hole, falling 10 feet to the floor. With his weapon dislodged from the impact of the landing, Special Agent Bahe lunged unarmed into the darkness, found the boy and shielded him with his body while Special Agents Galeski, Nagle, Montoya and Draper engaged in a mortal struggle with the suspect just inches away. The exceptional courage and extraordinary decisiveness of the entry team ultimately prevailed, resulting in the death of the suspect and the rescue of the boy, who was unharmed.

Special Agent Matthew Nagle

Special Agents Brocklyn Bahe, Christian Galeski, Matthew Nagle, Joseph Montoya and Rodney Draper are all recognized for their courageous efforts in safely rescuing a five-year-old child who was abducted Jan. 29, 2013, after a man boarded a school bus and shot and killed the bus driver after he refused to hand over two children as hostages. The armed suspect abducted a child from the bus and held him for six days in an underground bunker with multiple weapons and improvised explosive devices, while making unreasonable and incoherent demands. The agents assessed that negotiations would fail, so at grave personal risk to themselves they conducted a rescue mission on Feb. 4. When the agents entered the bunker, the subject shot at them from less than five feet away using the child as a shield. During the initial assault, the subject detonated an external IED, and was believed to be in the process of attempting to detonate a second IED inside the bunker. Without regard for their own safety, several more rescue team operators entered the bunker under heavy gunfire. One of them, Special Agent Bahe, dropped into the darkened, smoke-filled hole, falling 10 feet to the floor. With his weapon dislodged from the impact of the landing, Special Agent Bahe lunged unarmed into the darkness, found the boy and shielded him with his body while Special Agents Galeski, Nagle, Montoya and Draper engaged in a mortal struggle with the suspect just inches away. The exceptional courage and extraordinary decisiveness of the entry team ultimately prevailed, resulting in the death of the suspect and the rescue of the boy, who was unharmed.

Special Agent Rodney Draper

Special Agents Brocklyn Bahe, Christian Galeski, Matthew Nagle, Joseph Montoya and Rodney Draper are all recognized for their courageous efforts in safely rescuing a five-year-old child who was abducted Jan. 29, 2013, after a man boarded a school bus and shot and killed the bus driver after he refused to hand over two children as hostages. The armed suspect abducted a child from the bus and held him for six days in an underground bunker with multiple weapons and improvised explosive devices, while making unreasonable and incoherent demands. The agents assessed that negotiations would fail, so at grave personal risk to themselves they conducted a rescue mission on Feb. 4. When the agents entered the bunker, the subject shot at them from less than five feet away using the child as a shield. During the initial assault, the subject detonated an external IED, and was believed to be in the process of attempting to detonate a second IED inside the bunker

Special Agent Joseph Montoya

Special Agents Brocklyn Bahe, Christian Galeski, Matthew Nagle, Joseph Montoya and Rodney Draper are all recognized for their courageous efforts in safely rescuing a five-year-old child who was abducted Jan. 29, 2013, after a man boarded a school bus and shot and killed the bus driver after he refused to hand over two children as hostages. The armed suspect abducted a child from the bus and held him for six days in an underground bunker with multiple weapons and improvised explosive devices, while making unreasonable and incoherent demands. The agents assessed that negotiations would fail, so at grave personal risk to themselves they conducted a rescue mission on Feb. 4. When the agents entered the bunker, the subject shot at them from less than five feet away using the child as a shield. During the initial assault, the subject detonated an external IED, and was believed to be in the process of attempting to detonate a second IED inside the bunker

2012-2013 Medal of Valor Recipients

2012-2013 Medal of Valor Recipients, seen here on February 11, 2015

2012-2013 Medal of Valor Recipients

2012-2013 Medal of Valor Recipients, seen here on February 11, 2015

Medal of Valor Program

Public Safety Officer, Medal of Valor Ceremony program