Six peace officers will receive
the Idaho Medal of Honor (Boise) – Six Idaho peace officers
will be honored tomorrow for extraordinary heroism above
and beyond the call
of duty as recipients of the Idaho Medal of Honor. Five officers
will be honored for their valor in a fatal shooting rampage
in Moscow, and one officer will be honored for heroism in
rescuing a woman from the Boise River.
The Idaho Medal of Honor Commission
announced today that the State of Idaho’s highest
honor for law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMTs
will be awarded to:
“
The courage and selfless commitment to the service of others
demonstrated by these officers reflects the values that the
legislature intended to recognize when it created the medal,” Idaho
Medal of Honor Commission Chairman William von Tagen said. “Their
deeds are a credit to law enforcement and an inspiration
for other officers and to all Idahoans.”
The Medals of Honor will be presented during ceremonies
at the Idaho Peace Officers Memorial in Meridian at 10:00
AM Friday, May 16.
BACKGROUND
On Saturday, May 19, 2007, a man
armed with two semi-automatic rifles went to the Latah
County Sheriff’s Office and
opened fire. During the incident, Moscow Police Officer Lee
Newbill was shot.
Sergeant Gray and Sergeant Jordan,
along with Deputy Waters and Officer Applehans, coordinated
a rescue team. Using Sergeant
Gray’s personal vehicle, they drove to Officer Newbill’s
location to rescue him, fully expecting to be engaged by
the suspect’s gunfire. They placed Officer Newbill
into the vehicle and took him to a safer location, inadvertently
leaving Sergeant Jordan behind.
Sergeant Jordan took a position of
cover, ready to engage the suspect, and was ambushed and
wounded by the suspect,
who fired on him from a hidden location. Sergeant Gray, Deputy
Waters, Officer Applehans, and Deputy Sillers, knowing they
may be fired upon by the suspect, drove to Sergeant Jordan’s
location to rescue him.
On August 7, 2007, Boise Police Officer
Brek Orton responded to a call for a water rescue on the
Boise River. Upon arrival,
Officer Orton observed three Boise firefighters on a log
in the river trying to cut a trapped woman’s bathing
suit free from the limbs of a downed tree. She had been completely
submerged under eight to ten inches of water for approximately
ten minutes.
Officer Orton jumped into the swift current and made his
way to the victim. Unable to touch bottom himself, Officer
Orton held onto the log with one arm and pushed the victim
upstream against the strong current. The firefighters were
ready and able to immediately cut the bathing suit free from
the branch.
Officer Orton held the victim as
they were swept downstream, where he was able to pull her
toward the shore. Officer Orton’s
exceptionally brave and selfless actions allowed firefighters
and EMS to begin resuscitation efforts, which saved Sari
Starr’s life.
The Idaho Legislature established the Idaho Medal of Honor
in 2004 to honor Idaho police officers, firefighters and
EMTs who were killed in the line of duty or distinguished
themselves by exceptional meritorious conduct.
For additional information about current
and previous Idaho Medal of Honor recipients, visit the Medal
of Honor Commission
website at medalofhonor.idaho.gov.
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