FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2013


Nominations open for Missouri Medal of Valor, state's highest award for public safety officers

Nomination deadline is March 31 for heroic acts performed during 2012

Nominations are open for Missouri's annual Medal of Valor award, which honors extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty by public safety officers, the Department of Public Safety announced. The nomination deadline for recognition of acts of valor performed during 2012 is March 31, 2013.
Missouri's Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor is awarded annually to public safety officers who exhibit "exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness and presence of mind, and unusual swiftness of action, regardless of his or her own personal safety, in the attempt to save or protect human life."
Roger D. Stottlemyre, chairman of the Missouri Medal of Valor Review Board, encourages Missouri's public safety leaders to nominate deserving public safety officers for the award. "The Medal of Valor is an excellent opportunity to honor and recognize deserving public safety officers for their valorous actions and dedication to protecting the public," said Stottlemyre, a former superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol and currently executive director of the Missouri Gaming Commission. "Public safety leaders across the state should consider nominating individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty for this prestigious award."
Eight Medals of Valor were awarded last year for heroic acts performed during 2011. Eligible individuals must serve a public agency, with or without compensation, as a firefighter, law enforcement officer or emergency medical personnel. State and local corrections, court and civil defense officers are also eligible.
The Department of Public Safety will receive applications postmarked by March 31, 2013 and forward them to the Missouri Medal of Valor Review Board. Applications are available on the DPS Web site at http://dps.mo.gov/medal/. Because original signatures are required, applications must be printed, completed and mailed to:
State of Missouri, MO DPS Medal of Valor Review Board 301 West High Street, Room 870 Jefferson City, MO 65102

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For more information, call 573-751-5432 or e-mail mike.oconnell@dps.mo.gov