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The
following are just some of the awards presented at the annual awards
banquet in Bend, on May 9, 2003. Congratulations to these and all
of the award recipients - you are truly heroes!
Medal Of Honor / Purple Heart
Detective Michael W. Durr
Oregon State Police - John Day Office
On Sunday, February 17, 2002, Detective Michael Durr was responding to a
reported double homicide in Long Creek, Oregon, when he received
information that a Grant County Deputy had spotted the suspect near the
Mount Vernon area. With the assistance of three deputies, they attempted
to stop the suspect.
A gun battle ensued, which left two county vehicles disabled. Detective
Durr continued to pursue the suspect by himself on a rural road south of
the area. As they approached a bend in the road the suspect pulled his
vehicle broadside and fired numerous rounds from a 30-06 rifle.
Detective Durr was struck in the right bicep by one of the bullet
fragments. A second fragment struck him in the chest and was stopped by
his bullet-proof vest - that shot could have been fatal.
Detective Durr was able to exit his vehicle and find cover while working
his way back to a county deputy, who was arriving at the scene.
Detective Durr was life-flighted to Bend and underwent surgery for his
wounds.
Detective Durr's actions pushed the suspect into a rural area, which
eliminated any escape route. By his actions, he prevented the suspect
from coming into contact with other law enforcement officers or citizens
that would have come into harms way if they had crossed his path. The
suspect was captured as a result of a week-long manhunt.
Detective Durr's heroism in the face of great danger prevented any
further injury or loss of life. The suspect is currently serving two
life terms in an Oregon correctional facility.
Medal Of Honor / Medal Of Valor
Deputy Morris Taylor Corporal Jeff Aalberg
Douglas County Sheriff's Office
On Saturday, September 14, 2002, at approximately 7:40 am, Deputy Morris
Taylor responded to a non-emergency public indecency call at a small
motel located along Interstate 5, in a rural area of Douglas County.
Deputy Taylor made the initial contact with the suspect and returned to
his patrol vehicle to call dispatch.
Corporal Aalberg arrived on the scene and approached the suspect who was
standing outside the motel room near his vehicle. The suspect was
initially cooperative, and had no weapons on his person. Corporal
Aalberg could observe no weapons in the trunk of the suspect's vehicle.
Deputy Taylor completed the citation and walked back to where the
suspect was standing. Deputy Taylor asked the suspect for a consent
search of the vehicle trunk for firearms.
The suspect reached up towards the trunk lid, in what appeared to be a
movement to close it. Instead he reached inside the trunk and pulled out
a .44 caliber lever-action rifle which had been concealed by a blanket.
Both officers immediately drew their firearms and began to fire.
Deputy Morris Taylor was fatally wounded by shots fired by the suspect
and died at the scene.
The suspect who had a history of resisting arrest, assault to a police
officer, and was under the influence of meth, also died at the scene.
Deputy Morris Taylor and Corporal Jeff Aalberg both distinguished
themselves by performing heroic acts in excess of normal demands of
public service on this date. They each were fully aware of the imminent
threat, yet continued to respond for the safety of the public.
Corporal Jeff Aalberg was awarded the OPOA Medal of Valor, and Deputy
Morris Taylor was posthumously awarded the OPOA Medal of Honor and the
OPOA Purple Heart.
Medal Of Valor / Medal Of Honor
Tactical Negotiations Team - Washington County
Sergeant Willie Bose - Washington County
Sheriff's Office
Sergeant Greg Kisor - Washington County
Sheriff's Office
Sergeant John Koch - Washington County Sheriff's Office
Corporal
Grady Nelson - Washington County Sheriff's Office
Officer Ty Hanlon - Beaverton P.D.
Officer Kevin
Winfield - Tualatin P.D.
Sergeant John
Marshall - Hillsboro P.D.
On January 5,
2003, Forest Grove officers were called to investigate a report of an
armed man making suicidal threats. The officers found him barricaded in
the bedroom of his residence. The subject brandished a handgun at them
and threatened to shoot if they did not leave. Officers also noted a
shotgun and a rifle in the room. The officers left the residence and
called for the Tactical Negotiation Team (TNT).
Upon arrival the TNT members formed a response team, and took up
positions around the residence. The suspect began randomly firing shots
from inside the residence. The situation escalated when the suspect
began targeting the individual officers. More that 30 rounds had been
fired at the officers and surrounding residences.
An armored vehicle known as "The Boar" was called in to distract and
draw the suspect's fire. Sgt. Marshall and Corporal Grady Nelson drove
"The Boar" into the gunfire using ballistic shields for added protection
at the windows. It was not known at the time if "The Boar" could sustain
high caliber rifle rounds, but Sgt. Marshall and Cpl. Nelson deployed
the vehicle to aid their fellow officers and block the line of fire from
the surrounding residences.
The suspect came out of his residence aiming a handgun and rifle at the
officers. The subject ignored repeated commands to surrender the weapons
and continued to challenge the officers to kill him.
The suspect fired the rifle at the officers. Officer Hanlon returned
fire, but suffered a weapons malfunction. The suspect fired again, and
Sgt. Kisor moved from his position of safety and fired one round,
killing the suspect.
For professional performance in a dangerous and life threatening
situation OPOA awarded:
Officer Ty Hanlon, the Medal of Valor Officer Kevin Winfield, the Medal
of Valor Sergeant Willie Bose, the Medal of Valor Sergeant Greg Kisor,
the Medal of Valor Sergeant John Koch, the Medal of Valor Sergeant John
Marshall, the Medal of Honor Corporal Grady Nelson, the Medal of Honor.
Medal Of Valor
Sergeant Brad McMurrian
Officer Brian Bottoms
Prineville City Police Department
On August 14th, 2002, at approximately 3:50 am, Sergeant McMurrian and
Officer Bottoms responded to a residential structure fire in the City of
Prineville, Oregon. The residence was that of Chief Deputy District
Attorney Ron Brown, his wife Tiffany, and their three children.
Upon their arrival, they saw smoke and flames in the basement through an
open garage door window, with flames shooting six to seven feet high.
Knowing the family was in immediate danger, they proceeded into the
burning residence and were able to extinguish the flames in the basement
with a fire extinguisher and garden hose.
Their actions saved the residence and possible the lives of the five
persons. It came to the attention of the officers that the fire was
caused by an act of arson. With some excellent observations made on the
part of these two officers the investigation resulted in the arrest of
three suspects within 72 hours on several charges including Attempted
Aggravated Murder of the Brown family.
For bravery and service over and above the call of duty, OPOA awarded
Sergeant Brad McMurrian and Officer Brian Bottoms Medals of Valor.
Medal Of Valor
Officer Rick Jackson
Pendleton Police Department
On Tuesday, September 18, 2001, at approximately 7:40 am, Senior Trooper
David Schuening and Pendleton Police Department Officer Rick Jackson
responded to an agency assist call from the Umatilla Tribal Police
Department, regarding a subject who stated he was going to kill himself.
Senior Trooper Schuening and Officer Jackson responded, along with the
Umatilla Tribal PD, to the residence located on the Umatilla Tribal
Indian Reservation east of Pendleton. As they entered the residence the
subject was located in the living room, sitting on the couch holding a
knife.
The subject then jumped up and stated he was going to kill the officers.
A standoff then occurred. The subject advised the officers that they
should go ahead and shoot him, because he could kill them before they
could stop him.
Senior Trooper Schuening and Officer Jackson observed the subject place
the knife in his waistband as he talked with the Umatilla Tribal
Officers, and he appeared to be calming down. After approximately 40
minutes the subject got up and walked over to the Umatilla Tribal PD
officer and extended his hand, as if to shake hands.
The subject instead grabbed the officer and pulled him towards his body.
The officer was unable to break free of the hold, when the subject
grabbed the knife from his waistband and raised it up in a stabbing
motion.
Senior Trooper Schuening and Officer Jackson rushed into the room,
grabbed their batons, struck the subject on the arm attempting to knock
the knife from his grasp.
The officer was able to wrestle himself free from the subject, and the
knife was knocked to the floor. He was then taken into custody without
further incident.
A fellow Police Officer was in imminent threat of serious physical
injury or death from the subject, who himself was also prevented from
doing physical harm to himself by the actions of Senior Trooper
Schuening and Officer Jackson. In effect Officer Jackson and Senior
Trooper Schuening saved two lives that day.
Senior Trooper Schuening was awarded the OPOA Medal of Valor at the 2002
Awards Banquet.
OPOA recognized the part played by Officer Rick Jackson and awarded him
the Medal of Valor.
Medal Of Valor / Purple Heart
Deputy Debbie Myers
Marion County Sheriff's Office
On December 12, 2001, while attempting to perform an eviction during the
normal course of her duties, Deputy Myers was wounded by shots fired
from the person she was attempting to evict. The landlady involved and
standing nearby was also wounded.
Deputy Myers calmly and professionally directed the residents of the
complex behind her to return to their homes and lock their doors, and
then she assisted the wounded landlord to a position of safety.
Deputy Myers secured the area and kept the suspect in her sight with her
weapon drawn, until the backup officers were able to relieve her so that
she could be transported to the hospital and treated for her wound.
The officers arriving on the scene commended the deputy for maintaining
the scene, protecting the public, and being prepared to continue to do
so until they were able to take over.
Deputy Myers had remained in mortal danger from a possible lethal
assault from the suspect. Deputy Meyers put the public's safety ahead of
her own, while performing her duty in the finest tradition of law
enforcement and in the bravest manner possible.
Medal Of Valor
Deputy Bill Jordan
Marion County Sheriff's Office
On April 7, 2002 Deputy Jordan and officers from the Woodburn Police
Department responded to shots fired at the Woodburn Fairway Inn Motel.
It was reported that a male had barricaded himself in one of the rooms,
and had fired several shots through the walls into the surrounding
rooms.
Upon arrival, the suspect was known to Deputy Jordan, and he established
phone contact with the subject in an attempt to use communications to
calm the subject.
For several hours Deputy Jordan stayed on the phone with the suspect.
During this time, several more rounds were fired by the suspect. At one
point, the suspect ran from the room into the parking lot which was
surrounded by residences and businesses. In the parking lot, the suspect
began firing rounds from a handgun into the air, and in the direction of
Deputy Jordan.
Deputy Jordan advanced his position under cover while still maintaining
a dialogue with the distraught subject. During this conversation, the
subject stated that he wanted the police to shoot him.
Disregarding the suspect's wishes, Deputy Jordan continued talking to
the suspect and when the SWAT Team arrived on the scene and prepared to
engage the subject, Deputy Jordan was able to talk the subject into
surrendering peacefully.
This violent incident came to a nonviolent conclusion due to the patient
actions taken by Deputy Jordan.
See a complete list of the
2002 Awards Recipients and
2003 Awards Recipients
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