Officer of the Year: Sergeant Tim Kelley
Civilian Employee of the Year: Communications Specialist Susan Fuchs
Medal of Valor: Captain John Gardner
The employee of the year nominations are submitted by the employees themselves and approved by the chief of police and captain.
The medal of valor was for Captain Gardner’s actions on October 31/November 1, 2009 when officers responded to a man threatening suicide with a pistol. Officers spoke with the suspect for over an hour as the suspect held the gun to his head.
The suspect repeatedly waved the gun around and pointed it directly at the officers, refusing repeated commands to put it down. Captain Gardner made the decision to shoot the gun from the suspect’s hand as he extended it and pointed it at another officer. The suspect’s pistol was disabled by the shot and the suspect was taken into custody, receiving only a small laceration(s) to his hand. Captain Gardner’s decisive action and superior firearms skills resulted in a peaceful resolution to this volatile situation for everyone involved and serve as an inspiration for us all.
