Medal Recipient Search
Mathew R. Crosby and Jorden G. Lewis, Rock Hill Police Department
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On April 8, 2010, Patrolman Crosby and Lt. Lewis responded to a violent domestic dispute in an apartment complex. While trying to make contact with the suspect, a man appeared at the top of a stairway blocking the officers in the narrow stairwell below. The man raised a gun and fired two shots at the officers. The first shot grazed Crosby in the head and the second shot entered his shoulder. The bullet lodged in his spine, paralyzing him from the waist down. Despite his injuries, Crosby returned fire, as did Lewis. Both officers' shots struck the gunman, causing him to fall from the stairway onto Crosby. Despite his wounds, the gunman continued to struggle with Lewis, attempted to retrieve his pistol and threatened, "I'm going to kill you all."
Donald L. Doza, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On April 28, 2010, Trooper Doza responded to an injury accident on Interstate 70 in Cooper County. A van with a camper attached had crashed into a guardrail, causing extreme damage to the vehicle; smoke from the camper was filling the van. Two medics and a firefighter were on the scene but fire trucks were stuck in traffic. The driver was unconscious inside the van. The van doors would not open, so Doza broke the driver's window with his baton. Doza tried to pull the driver out through the window, but the driver's legs were wedged underneath the steering wheel. Doza called for assistance but none was forthcoming. Propane tanks inside the camper began exploding, fueling the fire. Doza broke the front windshield, but the smoke and flames made it impossible to get to the victim from this direction. He returned to the driver's window and was now joined by a firefighter. As gasoline flowed around their feet, the firefighter pulled the victim's arms and Doza now managed to free his legs. The victim was pulled from the van moments before the camper exploded. The 80-year-old victim continues to recover.
Joseph R. Haman, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On May 27, 2010, Officer Haman stopped a suspicious vehicle in north St. Louis. While the officer was conducting an investigation of the vehicle's occupants, a passenger in the rear seat opened fire. The gunman fired from point-blank range, hitting the officer six to eight times. Despite being critically wounded, Haman was able to dive for cover and return fire, striking the suspect vehicle and causing the gunman to retreat. Despite his life-threatening injuries, Haman remained composed and focused as he radioed for help. Haman, a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq, provided responding officers with a description of the gunman and detailed information so that a search could begin. St. Louis police were able to locate and arrest the suspected gunman the same day. Police credit Officer Haman's ballistic vest with saving his life.
Steven M. Landsness, O’Fallon Police Department
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On Oct. 23, 2010, Sgt. Landsness was off duty and walking along a trail near the Missouri River in Sunset Park in Florissant when he heard several people yelling that someone was in the river. He quickly spotted a woman struggling against the current, about 75 feet from the shore, in a treacherous area of the Missouri that has claimed several lives in the past. Despite her calls for help, others stood by on the riverbank or called for her to swim with the current. Recognizing the woman was exhausted and struggling to keep her head above the surface, Sgt. Landsness quickly entered the river, swam to the woman and calmly brought her to the shore, saving her life.
Darren M. Rodgers, Arnold Police Department and Gerald L. Williams, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On Jan. 29, 2010, Cpl. Williams received a lead that the suspect in the theft of almost 50 guns - including fully automatic weapons - was hiding in a shed in Imperial. Sgt. Rodgers was part of the team assembled to capture the dangerous suspect. Williams, Rodgers and another officer approached the shed.
Kenneith D. Smith Jr., St. Joseph Police Department
2010 Class
Awarded on: 11/02/2011
Medal of Valor
On July 21, 2010, Officer Smith responded to a domestic disturbance call in St. Joseph. As he arrived, the officer spotted the suspect running toward a woman and her young child. When the suspect saw Smith, he ran toward his van and attempted to flee the scene. Smith blocked him, but the suspect refused to obey the officer's commands. The suspect began struggling with Smith and was able to reach a gun hidden in his van. With the gun in his hand, the man told Smith that he was going to kill him. As the two continued to struggle, he placed the gun at Smith's head and pulled the trigger. The officer was able to push the man enough so the bullet missed him, hitting the van. As the struggle continued, Smith pulled his service weapon and repeatedly told the gunman to drop the gun or he would have to shoot. When he aimed his gun at the officer's face, Smith had no alternative but to fire once, killing the gunman. Officer Smith bravely acted to protect the woman and child and exhausted all options, putting his own life at even greater risk, before being forced to use deadly force.
George Ball, Dent County Sheriff's Office and Steve Lawhead, Fort Leonard Wood Police Department
2009 Class
Awarded on: 11/17/2010
Medal of Valor
On Jan. 31, 2009, Sgt. Ball and Lt. Lawhead both responded when a woman and her dog fell through the ice and into a lake in Dent County. Neither officer was scheduled to patrol that day and both were in civilian clothing, but when they heard the emergency call they immediately responded.
Cody Dunfee, Troop A, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2009 Class
Awarded on: 11/17/2010
Medal of Valor
On June 30, 2009, Trooper Dunfee accompanied Bates County Sheriff's deputies as they executed a search warrant at a rural house, looking for a man wanted on two outstanding attempted murder warrants. As part of the initial entry team, Trooper Dunfee utilized his SWAT training to begin clearing rooms in an attempt to locate the suspect. The suspect suddenly opened fire with a rifle, striking the trooper in the lower abdomen, but the bullet was stopped by the trooper's ballistic vest. Trooper Dunfee returned fire, hitting the suspect and forcing him to retreat to another room. Remaining calm under extraordinary circumstances, Trooper Dunfee was instrumental in guiding the safe withdrawal of the officers. The gunman was later determined to have taken his own life. Trooper Dunfee's presence and actions under fire prevented injury or loss of life to other officers.
Larry Ellard, Warrenton Police Department
2009 Class
Awarded on: 11/17/2010
Medal of Valor
On May 12, 2009, Sgt. Ellard responded to a report of a suicidal man sitting on the edge of the Highway 47 overpass at Interstate 70. The man was precariously balanced on the six-inch wide guardrail, leaning forward to keep from falling 30 feet to the busy interstate below. As the man sobbed uncontrollably, Sgt. Ellard attempted to engage him in conversation and used the loud traffic noise as an excuse to move closer. Sgt. Ellard leaned in closer to listen each time he asked a question. When the man said he was tired of living, suddenly stopped speaking and clenched his fists, Sgt. Ellard seized the opening, grabbed the man's arm and managed to wrestle him from the edge of the overpass. Sgt. Ellard acted despite the danger of possibly falling to the interstate below with the desperate and distraught subject. The man was taken to a hospital and admitted for psychiatric treatment.
Chris Harris, Troop F, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2009 Class
Awarded on: 11/17/2010
Medal of Valor
On May 5, 2009, Sgt. Harris joined the pursuit of a heavily armed motorcyclist who had made threats against public officials at the Osage County Courthouse and was firing shots at Osage County Sheriff's deputies. Sgt. Harris was closing on the pursuit when he heard that a deputy's car had been hit. He then spotted a deputy's patrol car stopped in the middle of westbound U.S. Hwy. 50 and had to take evasive action to avoid a crash, temporarily driving off the roadway. Back on Hwy. 50, Sgt. Harris neared the motorcycle and, seeing that the subject had a gun, took over as primary pursuit vehicle on the right. With the armed motorcyclist traveling more than 70 miles an hour and approaching Jefferson City, Sgt. Harris knew he had to move to end the pursuit to protect motorists and other officers. Sgt. Harris struck the rear of the motorcycle with the front of the patrol car. The driver fell off the motorcycle and then took his own life with a handgun. An investigation revealed the subject had two handguns, a rifle, shotgun and more than 700 rounds of ammunition.