Dallas Police Chief David O. Brown presented various departmental awards today, April 28, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.  The presentation was held in the Donald A. Stafford Media Conference Room on the 2^nd floor of the Jack Evans Headquarters at 1400 S. Lamar Street.

The following awards were presented: 

Tenure Award Recipients

20 Years of Service

• Lieutenant Israel Herrera (not pictured)
• Sergeant Orlando Robinson
• Sergeant Francis S. Crump
• Stephanie C. Vanegas

25 Years of Service

• Sergeant John E. Larsen
• Sergeant Stephen A. Bishopp (not pictured)
• Police Officer Timothy J. Drummond

30 Years of Service

• Lieutenant Phyllis I. Nobles (not pictured)
• Senior Corporal Linda H. Kindt
• Senior Corporal Christopher K. Daniels
• Anita J. Bassinger
• Andrea Yellowfish (not pictured)

Perfect Attendance 

20 Years

• Lieutenant Terrence D. Rhodes
• Sergeant Francis S. Crump

25 Years

• Executive Assistant Chief David R. Pughes
• Deputy Chief Christina E. Smith

35 Years

• Lieutenant Charles E. Epperson (not pictured)
• Deborah L. Joseph

Meritorious Conduct Award Recipients

Life Saving Awards

The Life Saving Award is given when it is shown through documented evidence from witnesses, victims, or medical authorities that an officer was directly responsible for the saving of a human life.

Below is a synopsis of each nomination letter composed for the various awards:

On November 5, 2015, Senior Corporal Sheldon Smythe responded to a 911 call at the Saint Paul bridge above Interstate 30. A citizen was threatening to jump off the bridge into oncoming traffic and was straddling the guardrail when officers arrived. Responding officers talked to the distraught citizen as Senior Corporal Smythe noticed the citizen was looking down as if he was about to jump. Senior Corporal Smythe courageously grabbed the citizen and pulled him to safety, saving his life. Senior Corporal Smythe was not available to attend today’s ceremony.

On November 8, 2015, Sergeant David Crowley, Police Officer Lasharon Watson, Police Officer Rachel Rice and Police Officer Matthew Henry showed tremendous patience and empathy when they responded to a 911 suicide call at the 2200 block of Interstate 45. The officers found the citizen sitting on a ledge from the overpass. The citizen told the officers she was the mother of two children and battling cancer. The officers worked together as a team to block the traffic and ordered Dallas Fire Rescue while Officers Watson and Rice spent over an hour talking to the citizen. The officers established a rapport and gained her trust, continually reassuring her. They were able to convince her to let them take her to a hospital. 

On a cold day, November 28, 2015, the City of Dallas was under a flash flood warning. A 911 call came in regarding a female citizen trapped inside her vehicle in the freezing flood water near California Crossing and Wildwood Drive. The female citizen told the 911 dispatcher that the flood water had risen so high, it had reached her stomach. Her car was floating and moving in the water’s current. Due to the darkness and large area, it was very difficult for the officers to locate her, but they did not give up. They finally found her as the freezing flood waters continued to rise. The officers disregarded their own safety and quickly went into the deep and dark water. Senior Corporal Raciel Hernandez was able to make it to the citizen’s vehicle and forced her car door open and got her out and to safety. If not for his tenacity and refusing to give up, the life of a citizen could have been lost that day.

On December 14, 2015, Senior Corporal Pedro Alonzo and his partner were flagged down by a citizen stating there was a person attempting to jump off the bridge at 1000 S. Lamar Street. Officers blocked traffic and Sergeant Patrick Cronin arrived at the scene. While Sgt. Cronin talked to the citizen, Senior Corporal Alonzo was able to sneak up behind the citizen, grab him, and pull him to safety. Not pictured is Sergeant Patrick Cronin.

On January 3, 2016, Police Officer Jamal Robinson received a 911 call regarding an unresponsive two-year-old child at 2755 East Ledbetter Drive. Upon arrival, a crowd of people had gathered and waved Officer Robinson to come inside an apartment. Officer Robinson found the mother holding the child. He immediately grabbed the child and performed C.P.R. Upon learning that an ambulance that was ordered went to the wrong apartment, Officer Robinson and his partner wrapped the child in a blanket and ran through the complex to the awaiting ambulance. Paramedics were able to attach a breathing apparatus to assist the child in breathing, saving the child’s life. If not for Officer Robinson’s quick actions, the child might not have been saved. 

mg