Medal Recipient Search
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.
Isabella Lovadina, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
2009 Class
Awarded on: 11/17/2010
Medal of Valor
On Oct. 5, 2009, Officer Lovadina, who was off duty, had just left the St. Louis residence of an acquaintance with a friend when they were approached by two armed men and forced back into the residence. The gunmen’s intent was a home invasion-robbery. They threatened and terrorized the victims, including several young children, for more than 20 minutes. Several times the gunmen pointed their weapons to the victims’ heads and stated they would kill them. After robbing the victims, the gunmen directed them at gunpoint toward the basement doorway. Officer Lovadina believed that the victims were in imminent danger of being killed. Despite the fact that she was unarmed, she attempted to disarm one of the gunmen to protect the other victims. As she struggled valiantly with the gunman, she was shot several times and critically wounded by the second gunman, who also fired at two other victims, killing one of them. The gunmen fled the residence, but were later captured.
Timmy Shoop, Troop B, Missouri State Highway Patrol
2009 Class
Awarded on: 11/17/2010
Medal of Valor
On May 23, 2009, Cpl. Shoop received word of a one-vehicle accident in Chariton County in which the vehicle left U.S. Hwy. 24 and traveled into the Middle Fork branch of the Chariton River. The number of occupants was unknown. The SUV had floated about 200 feet downstream and only the roof was visible when Cpl. Shoop arrived on scene. Cpl. Shoop entered the river, fighting the strong current due to recent rain, and reached the vehicle. Because the vehicle was submerged and the water was so muddy, Cpl. Shoop had to swim underwater and then, without regard for his own safety, enter the vehicle to find out if anyone was inside. He managed to find a man in the front passenger seat and pulled him out of the vehicle. As medical personnel tended to the victim, Cpl. Shoop again risked his life by reentering the vehicle to make sure there were no other victims. Emergency medical personnel were able to regain a pulse for the victim. He was transported to a hospital but ultimately did not survive.