Pflugerville Detective Honored As 'Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer'

PFLUGERVILLE, TX — During a recent awards banquet staged by the 100 Club of Central Texas, Detective James Colligan of the Pflugerville Police Department was named "Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer," marking the first time a local officer has received the honor.

The gathering took place last Saturday at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort for the occasion of the 34th Annual Awards Banquet. Colligan was nominated for the award by Police Chief Jessica Robeldo for going above and beyond the call of duty in service to his community.

Given the harrowing account of Colligan's actions during a dangerous standoff with a gunman, the award is undoubtedly well deserved. On Oct. 11, 2016, Colligan was on his way to lunch when he responded to a nearby call about a suicidal veteran at the corner of SH 45 and Heatherwilde Boulevard. The distraught man was armed with a handgun while officers were attempting to calm him down, drop his weapon and coax him out of his vehicle.

The man complied, tossing the weapon on the ground. But after exiting his vehicle, the man picked up the weapon again while yelling for the officers to shoot him as he walked toward them. By then on the scene, Colligan noticed the side of the man's pistol was locked back, but he was uanble to determine if there was a round in the chamber or remaining rounds in the magazine.

That's when Colligan made the split-second decision to break into a sprint to tackle the man, effectively gaining control so his fellow officers could quickly detain him.

"The response and actions of all officers on scene is to be commended," police officials wrote in a news advisory. "However, the extraordinary bravery and selflessness displayed by Colligan was deserving of special recognition. In a dire time of need, a U.S. eteran was in crisis and needed help. Colligan, also a veteran, gave no thought of himself at that moment and his heroic actions saved this man’s life and allowed him to get the counseling and help he needed."

The 100 Club of Central Texas is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted to providing immediate financial and emotional assistance to the families of first responders who have been killed or critically injured in the line of duty, according to information found on its website. The group currently supports more than 15,000 emergency medical technicians, firefighters, and law enforcement officers across six Central Texas counties.

>>> Photo: (left to right): Commander Jason Smith, Chief Jessica Robledo, Detective James Colligan, Assistant Chief Jim McLean, courtesy of Pflugerville Police Department