Local Heroes Honored

Today at the 43rd Annual Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce Public Safety Awards, people from all over the county honored our public safety professionals for acts of valor that occurred in 2016. Honorees were nominated and selected by Montgomery County's Fire and Rescue Service, Department of Police, Sheriff's Office, Maryland-National Capital Park Police-Montgomery County Division and the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation. The event highlighted dramatic video obtained from body-worn cameras.

Congratulations to today's honorees:

Sergeant Sabrina Pirtle
Chief Donald A. Deering Community Service Award

Critical Stress Management Team, Department of Correction and Rehabilitation
Unit Citation

Police Officer III Yves Didier N'Kodia
Honorable Mention, Medal of Valor (Northampton Drive Repeat Offender)

Deputy Sheriff III Jason Carew and Deputy Sheriff II Steven McDonald
Honorable Mention of Valor (Suicide Attempt in Silver Spring)

Resident Supervisor II Alicia Jackson and Resident Supervisor III Andre Stepp
Honorable Mention of Valor (Lifesaving Attempt in Pre-Release Center)

Sergeant Manuel Saponara and Police Officer Brian Holloway
Honorable Mention of Valor (Domestic Violence in Germantown)

Police Officer III Dale Steffen
Honorable Mention of Valor (Suicide Attempt in Germantown)

Police Officer III David Kocevar
Bronze Medal of Valor (Deadly Shooting Spree in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties)

Repeat Offenders Unit (Police Officer III David Kocevar, Sergeant Brady Clouser, Corporal Jeffrey Rachael, Detective Donnie Oaks, Detective Kenneth Halter, Detective Roger St. Louis, Detective Thomas Tippett, Detective Richard Volpe, Detective Charles Bullock and Detective Dominic Dinisio
Bronze Medal of Valor (Deadly Shooting Spree in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties)

Corporal Johnny Beason
Silver Medal of Valor (Shooter in Clarksburg)

Police Officer III Jeffrey Hughes
Silver Medal of Valor (Flower Branch Apartment Fire)

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (represented by Captain William Cooke, Fire Fighter Rescuer III Enrique Escolero and Fire Fighter Rescuer III David Wakely)
Unit Citation of Valor (Flower Branch Apartment Fire)

Fire Fighter Rescuer III David Braun
Bronze Medal of Valor