While policemen are often the silent heroes keeping their communities safe, on April 5, Hammond Police Department hosted an award ceremony to recognize officers whose actions saved lives and delivered justice. Chief William A. Short was proud to celebrate his officers for their actions in the line of duty which can often go unnoticed.
“As we all know, police work is difficult, and our officers are put in dangerous and stressful situations every day as they protect and serve our communities. Every officer works tirelessly, and we would like to thank each and every officer in this department,” Short said. “Today we are honoring a few of these men and women for work they have performed that has exceeded expectations and made the citizens of Hammond proud.”
Short shared accounts of officers’ bravery and intelligence in the line of duty before welcoming them to receive their awards. Such acts of heroism included preventing citizens from taking their own lives, treating the wounds of the severely injured, saving a child from choking, apprehending criminals, and bringing closure to a 24-year cold case.
Having served in the Navy for six years, Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott, Jr. recalls the military taking the time to recognize navy seals for their heroic actions, and he is grateful to see similar recognition taking place at a local level in Hammond.
“I want to say thanks to the officers. American society is quick to condemn officers when they make split-second decisions, but we don’t recognize officers when they go above and beyond,” McDermott said. “I want to congratulate the chief for bringing this program back, and I want to congratulate the officers and their families. Thank you for making Hammond safe because if you don’t do your job the right way, there’s no possible way I could do my job the right way. If people think Hammond is heading in the right direction, it’s because of the hard work of the Hammond Police Department officers.”
Officers received a variety of awards, including the Life Saver Award, Meritorious Service Award, Distinguished Service Award, and Award of Excellence (Chief’s Coin). MSgt. Peterson was among those recognized, receiving both a Distinguished Service Award and an Award of Excellence (Chief’s Coin). Peterson appreciated the police department’s dedication to recognizing its officers.
“This means a lot. We come here and work hard every day. Sometimes it’s nice to get a pat on the back. It feels good to be appreciated for the hard work we do,” Peterson said.
The individuals recognized for exceeding expectations in the line of duty are listed below. Those who received multiple awards in the same category are indicated in parentheses.
Life Saver Award
- Cpl. Drudge
- Ofc. Lemmons
- Ofc. Lessard
- Ovc. Wagers
- MSgt. Orr
- Ofc. White
Meritorious Service Award
- Ofc. Escamilla (x2)
- Ofc. Siba
- Ofc. Chorba
- Ofc. Huerta (x2)
- Cpl. Hornyak
- Sgt. Gajewski
- K9 Atom
Distinguished Service Award
- Ofc. Davidson
- Ofc. Kerwin
- Sgt. Darnell
- Ofc. Percak
- Sgt. Howard
- Ofc. Guido
- Ofc. Carrasco
- Sgt. Munoz
- MSgt. Peterson
- Cpl. McGing
- Cpl. O’Neill
- Sgt. Ford
- Det. Sgt. Michael Nemcek
- Det. Sgt. Stephen Guernsey
- Det. Sgt. Marc Ferry
- Det. Sgt. Chris Gootee
- Det. Captain Zeke Hinojosa
Award of Excellence (Chief’s Coin)
- Sgt. Clark
- Sgt. Detterline
- Sgt. Ferry
- Sgt. Ford
- Sgt. Gajewski
- Sgt. Gootee
- Sgt. Guernsey
- Cpl. Hornyak
- Cpl. McGing
- Cpl. O’Neill
- Ofc. Percak
- MSgt. Peterson
- Sgt. Salazar
- Cpl. Sarlea
- Ofc. Ben Daniels