Medal Recipient Search
Joshua Dunn, nominated by Missouri State Park Rangers
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Public Safety Civilian Partnership Award
On September 2, 2023, a visitor to Montauk State Park accidently cut himself in his upper leg with a filet knife, causing a deep laceration that resulted in a life-threatening loss of blood. A bystander, Joshua Dunn, sprang to action and quickly fashioned a makeshift tourniquet, which, when applied with sterile gauze, stopped the bleeding. Mr. Dunn tended to the victim until EMS arrived and took over. A helicopter evacuated the victim to a medical facility. Because of the severity of the wound and the loss of blood, Mr. Dunn’s care along with assistance from a State Park Ranger and the Montauk Fire Department likely saved the victim’s life.
Robert Fincher, Dalton Koch, James Mora, Wade McElfresh and Tom Thompson, O’Fallon Police Department
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Governor's Medal
On the afternoon of October 10, 2023, a 13-year-old boy experiencing a mental health crisis ran from his middle school to the Sonderen Street overpass over Interstate 70 with the intention of taking his own life by jumping from the overpass. Responding units arrived in less than three minutes and found the boy straddling the concrete barrier over I-70. Officers Mora, Koch and Fincher made contact with the boy and worked to establish a rapport with him, but he only wanted to speak with Officer Mora. Meanwhile, Sergeant Thompson supervised the scene on the overpass and staged firefighters and ambulance personnel to be ready to render first aid. Sergeant McElfresh closed the interstate and then directed that several tractor trailers be positioned under the overpass to break the juvenile’s fall, if necessary. Because the boy was swinging both his legs over the bridge ledge with nothing but the interstate beneath him, Officer Mora repeatedly inched closer. Mora closed the distance between them by displaying pictures of his dog on his cellphone, but the boy was still in crisis. Once he was close enough and the boy became distracted, Officer Mora risked his own life by lunging at the boy and then began pulling him back from the ledge. Officers Koch and Fincher helped secure the juvenile who was quite large for his age. Other officers assisted Officer Mora in getting the boy back to a safe position on the bridge. During a pressure-filled, life-or-death incident over loud, swift moving interstate traffic with a distraught boy’s life hanging in the balance, Sergeants McElfresh and Thompson and Officers Fincher, Koch and Mora demonstrated compassion, creative thinking, teamwork and unflinching determination to save a life.
Nicole Ellzey and Scharihen Ward, Missouri Department of Corrections
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Governor's Medal
On the afternoon of November 16, 2023, in the Jefferson City Correctional Center’s Housing Unit 3, an officer instructed an offender to return to his cell from an area considered out of bounds. Officer Ward was requested to assist in attempting to gain compliance. Once Officer Ward arrived at the scene, the offender struck her in the face with a closed fist several times. The offender then pulled a 7-inch metal prison-made weapon and began slashing and stabbing the other officer in the head, face and arm. Sergeant Ellzey observed the struggle from outside the wing, gained access and helped the officers take the offender to the floor. Sergeant Ellzey then got the weapon away from the offender. Officer Ward was then able to fully restrain the offender. Officer Ward suffered a puncture wound and bruising and swelling to her face. Sergeant Ellzey and Officer Ward, who like all corrections officers serve without firearms, risked their own lives to control a violent offender who possessed a lethal prison-made weapon, preventing additional lethal threats to staff and other offenders. Scharihen Ward has been promoted to sergeant. Sadly, Sergeant Ellzey died unexpectedly of a brain aneurysm on June 9, 2024. She was 46.
Larry Bunt Jr. and Clint Koons, O’Fallon Police Department
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Medal of Valor
On the afternoon of December 3, 2023, a gunman fired at least three shots at the clocktower in front of O’Fallon City Hall. Officer Koons saw a vehicle matching the broadcasted vehicle description driving north on Main Street and quickly caught up with the suspect. He initiated a traffic stop and the suspect pulled over. Officer Koons exited his vehicle, took up a cover position and issued commands to the suspect. The suspect ignored the orders and reached inside his vehicle. He then drove off. As he was fleeing, Officer Bunt was arriving on scene and took the primary unit position in an authorized pursuit; Officer Koons followed as the secondary unit. The gunman drove west on Highway P and entered a subdivision, coming to a stop in a cul-de-sac. He immediately exited the vehicle with his shotgun raised in the direction of both officers. The officers, fearing for their lives and the safety of the public, exchanged fire with the gunman, who then took cover at the front of his vehicle. Officers Koons and Bunt repositioned themselves for better cover. The gunman then stood up and pointed his shotgun at the officers, attempting to fire as he ran into an open field. The officers fired again, striking the gunman, who went down but continued to move with the shotgun by his side. Officers Koons and Bunt took cover and waited for additional officers to arrive. Once sufficient officers were on scene, Officer Koons organized a team to take the gunman into custody. When officers reached the gunman, he was deceased. Officers Koons and Bunt, despite being under fire and extreme stress, put their own lives at risk in order to protect the public and contain a violent threat to the community.
Drew Goodale, Cape Girardeau Fire Department
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Medal of Valor
On the evening of December 13, 2023, Firefighter/Paramedic Goodale was having dinner in a restaurant in New Hamburg, Missouri, when a civilian came in and reported a house was on fire down the street. Goodale and the restaurant owner drove the short distance to the house. Flames were showing from a first-floor window and about 25% of the house was involved in fire. Goodale opened the front door to check if anyone was inside. He heard a person moaning in pain. Entering without any protective gear, he found the severely burned owner of the house about 20 feet from the door. Firefighter/Paramedic Goodale pulled the man out of the burning structure and onto the porch. Goodale and the restaurant owner then moved the victim to the yard. The two provided medical aid until fire and EMS personnel arrived. Goodale assisted in an ambulance as the victim was moved to an air medical landing zone for an air evacuation. The victim was intubated on the scene and flown to a hospital with severe burns. The victim spent about a week recovering in the hospital. Because of Firefighter/Paramedic Goodale’s swift and brave actions while off duty outside his own jurisdiction, the victim was rescued from his burning home minutes earlier than the local fire service’s arrival. Firefighter Goodale is now a member of the St. Charles Fire Department.
Justin McElroy, St. Joseph Police Department
2023 Class
Awarded on: 09/12/2024
Medal of Valor
On the night of December 26, 2023, Officer McElroy recognized a U-Haul box truck as the suspect vehicle in a commercial theft earlier in the day. He notified dispatch and attempted to make a traffic stop of the truck. Officer McElroy pursued the vehicle when the driver would not stop. The pursuit lasted for about three miles, during which another St. Joseph police officer deployed a tire deflation device, damaging several tires. A woman then called 911 and said she was a passenger in the truck. The truck then left the roadway in an industrial area, where it became stuck on railroad tracks. Officer McElroy exited his vehicle and ran to the truck, taking cover at the rear. As he peered around the back of the truck, he observed the driver partially open the door and aim a gun in Officer McElroy’s direction. Officer McElroy broke from his cover position and fired at the gunman, striking the door and the frame of the truck. The gunman fell from the vehicle with his gun and indicated he had been shot. Backup officers had arrived and now secured the passenger, who was unharmed. Officer McElroy, quickly moved to the gunman and attempted to render aid. The gunman was found not to have been shot and he was taken into custody. During a highly stressful pursuit and confrontation with an armed convicted felon, Officer McElroy remained calm, took account of a passenger in the stolen vehicle, and kept fellow officers informed at all times. His courageous efforts ended a dangerous situation for himself, his fellow officers and the community.
Benjamin J. Polson, St. Louis Fire Department
2022 Class
Awarded on: 09/28/2023
Red, White and Blue Heart Award
On the morning of January 13, 2022, St. Louis Fire Department Truck 13 was dispatched to a building fire in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood in northwest St. Louis. A vacant two-story brick structure was heavily involved in fire. Firefighter Polson stretched a 1¾ inch attack line into the burning structure to assist in conducting a rapid primary search. Firefighter Polson was on the second floor when the roof collapsed without warning, trapping him. An emergency radio call went out and several fellow firefighters made entry in an attempt to rescue Firefighter Polson but could not reach him because of the rapid fire progression and deteriorating building conditions. Firefighter Polson had earned a law degree and an MBA but felt the call to public service, following his father’s footsteps into the St. Louis Fire Department. He had been with the department for less than three years, but in his brief tenure with the department he had proven to be a leader and committed teammate, devoted to serving the St. Louis community.
Adam R. Shipley, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2022 Class
Awarded on: 09/28/2023
Medal of Valor
At about 5 p.m. on January 25, 2022, Trooper Shipley heard radio traffic about an aggravated rape in progress at the Amidon Conservation Area in Madison County and immediately responded to the area. As he approached on County Road 253, he observed a 58-year-old man forcing a woman and young child toward a vehicle at knifepoint. The woman, who had just been sexually assaulted by the man, ran toward Shipley with her four-year-old in her arms. Trooper Shipley exited his vehicle and pursued the attacker into the woods. He caught the man after about 60 yards. As Shipley attempted to handcuff him, the man reached for a knife in his waistband. The two fell to the ground as they fought. The man managed to get Trooper Shipley’s pepper spray and Taser, deploying both toward the trooper. The Taser probes struck Trooper Shipley but it was not effective. Although impaired by the pepper spray, he could see the man reaching again for the knife in his waistband. Trooper Shipley drew his duty pistol and discharged one round, striking the man in the chest. He attempted to administer first aid but the attacker died at the scene. The attacker had recently completed a prison sentence for sexual assault and been released. By responding quickly and acting decisively, Trooper Shipley prevented additional harm to an innocent mother and her child and ended the threat of further violence to the community.
Jake Reed, Joplin Police Department
2022 Class
Awarded on: 09/28/2023
Red, White and Blue Heart Award
On March 8, 2022, Joplin Police Corporal Ben Cooper and Officer Jake Reed responded to a business for a disturbance call. As they attempted to take a suspect into custody he pulled a concealed gun and shot Cooper and Reed, mortally wounding both officers. The gunman then fled the scene in Corporal Cooper’s patrol vehicle. Officers gave chase as the gunman fired at them. The gunman crashed the patrol vehicle and attempted to steal a minivan. Officer Hirshey located the gunman and positioned his vehicle to prevent the gunman from fleeing in the minivan. The gunman fired at Officer Hirshey, who received a life-threatening gunshot wound to his face. The bullet entered Officer Hirshey’s cheek under his left eye and traveled through his head before becoming lodged in his neck. He underwent surgery and was hospitalized for eight days. He returned to work on light duty on June 30, 2022. The bullet remains lodged in his neck to this day.
Benjamin L. Cooper, Joplin Police Department
2022 Class
Awarded on: 09/28/2023
Red, White and Blue Heart Award
On March 8, 2022, Joplin Police Corporal Ben Cooper and Officer Jake Reed responded to a business for a disturbance call. As they attempted to take a suspect into custody he pulled a concealed gun and shot Cooper and Reed, mortally wounding both officers. The gunman then fled the scene in Corporal Cooper’s patrol vehicle. Officers gave chase as the gunman fired at them. The gunman crashed the patrol vehicle and attempted to steal a minivan. Officer Hirshey located the gunman and positioned his vehicle to prevent the gunman from fleeing in the minivan. The gunman fired at Officer Hirshey, who received a life-threatening gunshot wound to his face. The bullet entered Officer Hirshey’s cheek under his left eye and traveled through his head before becoming lodged in his neck. He underwent surgery and was hospitalized for eight days. He returned to work on light duty on June 30, 2022. The bullet remains lodged in his neck to this day.