Snohomish County Sheriff Presents Awards For Law Enforcement Achievement

From the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office: From a deputy delivering baby on a Snohomish roadway to an Everett man who tackled a criminal suspect as he was scaling a fence to escape deputies, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office will recognize more than 80 employees, volunteers and citizens at its annual awards ceremony.

“Our agency motto is ‘Community First’ and these awards highlight the amazing work and extraordinary acts our employees, volunteers and members of our community performed that exemplifies this commitment,” said Sheriff Ty Trenary.

The following awards will be presented:

Sheriff's Award

• 2016 Snohomish County Violent Offender Task Force – for arresting more than 1,000 violent, wanted felons and getting the worst-of-the-worst off the street and out of Snohomish County neighborhoods
• Deputy Jon Barnett and Deputy Jeff Howerton - for their role in honoring Gavin as our 2016 Sheriff for a Day

Purple Heart

• Corrections Deputy Samuel Chen

Citizen Medal of Valor

• Darrell Fortin – for tackling and restraining a combative subject during a difficult arrest
• Nicholas Ulacia – for his selfless act of extraordinary bravery and assistance to Sheriff’s deputies during the arrest of a combative subject, performed at the risk of his own safety

Distinguished Service Medal

• Deputy Evan Twedt, Deputy David Bennett - for effectively securing a dangerous suspect, for courageous performance in the face of danger
• Sgt. Jess Sanders, Deputy Tracy Peckham - displaying extreme courage, and for taking immediate action which resulted in the safe and successful evacuation of residents from a burning building

Meritorious Service Medal

• Sgt. Daniel Johnson, Deputy Ian Whipple, Deputy Chris Veentjer, Gene Bishop (Motel 6 Manager) - for distinguishing themselves with an act of kindness and compassion for their fellow man, and for collaborating to find a hot meal and safe place for a homeless, disabled man to stay on Christmas
• Sgt. Marcus Dill - for efforts that went far above and beyond normal duties as a deputy sheriff, for his work ethic, and for his initiative to ensure that a dangerous criminal was put behind bars
• Deputy Ryan Phillips
• Deputy US Marshal Rob Gerg - for facilitating a successful partnership between Snohomish County law enforcement and the US Marshals Service leading to the capture of almost a thousand dangerous felons to be brought to justice for the violent and predatory crimes they’ve committed

Sgt. John Taylor Supervisor of the Year

• Sgt. Ian Edwards

Patrol Deputy of the Year

• Deputy Mathew Boice

Corrections Deputy of the Year

• Corrections Deputy Brittani Gilfeather

Deputy Joe Ward Detective of the Year

• Detective Nicole Richardson

Civilian Employee of the Year

• Law Enforcement Technician Susan Martinez

Clarence Robertson Reserve Deputy of the Year

• Reserve Deputy Craig O’Neill

Volunteer of the Year

• Judy and Jack Odell

Explorer of the Year

• Explorer Tanner Hedlund

Life Saving Medals & Awards

• Corrections Deputy Pavel Ryakhovskiy
• Corrections Deputy Benny Walters
• Deputy Nathan Smith
• Deputy Brandon Liukko and Deputy Nathan Smith
• Deputy Keith Poteet – for the roadside delivery of baby Case, who was born not breathing
• Beau Ramsey, Anne Cherise Jensen, Pilot-in-Command Deputy Steve Klett, Pilot Fire Chief Travis Hots, Crew Chief SAR Volunteer Randy Fay, Flight Medic Firefighter Richard Duncan, Flight Medic Firefighter Tori McCormick – for saving a hiker who fell on Mt. Pilchuck
• Sgt. Danny Wikstrom, Pilot-in-Command Deputy Bill Quistorf, Pilot Travis Hots, Rescue Technician Ernie Zeller, Flight Medic Richard Duncan – for saving a hiker with life threatening injuries
• Deputy Jeffrey Howerton
• Sgt. Tom Morris
• Michael Holmes – for coming to the aid of a total stranger in distress and in need of help and for rendering aid that no doubt saved a woman’s life
• Deputy Arthur Wallin (Life Saving Medal) and Deputy Dean Peckham, Deputy Chad Daugherty, Deputy Stephen Foote, Deputy Charles Pendergrass, and Deputy Phillip James (Letters of Commendation) – for their response to the July 30th Mukilteo shooting
• Para-educator Bradley Hill, Para-educator David Harris, Ms. Tracy Dostert (Lynnwood High School)* - for saving the life of a high school student

Certificate of Merit

• Lead LET Brenda Gibbs
• Security Support Specialist Alana Nawa'a
• LES Caitlin Weaver and LES Kristi Irwin
• Counselling Supervisor Kimberly Parker
• Sgt. Jess Geoghagan
• Sgt. Matthew Mattson
• Sgt. Mike Martin
• Sgt. Mike Sutherland
• Sgt. Matthew Spano
• Corrections Deputy Patricia Thomas
• Corrections Deputy James Norris
• Deputy Jonathan Krajcar
• Deputy Lucas Robinson
• Deputy Stuart Gort – for his relentless pursuit of justice for the Mt. Index Riversites community
• Ashely Larson and Kolby Strand – for quick response to help a deputy as she was fighting with a dangerous suspect performed at risk to their own safety
• Isaiah Lee - taking immediate action which resulted in the apprehension of a dangerous felon
• Judge Kenneth Cowsert – for his work in assisting the Cold Case Unit and his dedication to advocating for missing persons and those whose remains are unidentified
• Deputy Ryan Phillips
• Lt. David Bowman, Sgt. Jeff Stemme, and Deputy Chad Humphreys (Certificate of Merit); Deputy Tim Leo, Deputy Adam Veach, Deputy Dan Uhrich, Deputy Kevin Pelleboer, Deputy Brandon Liukko, Deputy Dan Dusevoir, Detective Steve Martin, Deputy Steve Dosch, Sgt. Jess Sanders, Sgt. Mike Martin (Letters of Commendation) – for their response to the Cascade Mall Shooting
• Office of Neighborhoods – for providing dedicated services to the most vulnerable member of our community
• Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue, SAR Sgt. Danny Wikstrom and Sgt. Scot Fenter, Deputy Peter Teske; Major Crimes Unit, Detective David Fontenot, Detective David Bilyeu, Detective Brad Walvatne, Detective Kendra Conley, Detective Tedd Betts, and retired Detective Brad Pince; Violent Offender Task Force, Sgt. Keith Rogers, Detective Jeff Ross, Detective Lucas Robinson, Detective Dave Coleman, Everett Detective Mike Atwood, Mukilteo Detective Andy Illyn, Deputy US Marshal Rob Gerg and Deputy US Marshal Brian Allan; Department of Corrections Officer Mike Woodruff and Officer Scott Lee – for their tireless determination in the investigation of the of missing person/homicide investigation of Patrick Shunn and Monique Patenaude, and for their relentless pursuit and capture of a wanted murderer and his accomplices
• Special Investigations Unit Detectives Richard Emmons, Larry Cole, Tom Dittoe, Joan Gwordske, George Burnette, Nathan Alanis, Lars Teigen, James Headrick, Tyler Quick, Sgt. Dave Heitzman, Providence Hospital Forensic Nurse Examiner Rebecca Allen, CODIS Forensic Scientist Kristina Hoffman, WSP Crime Lab Supervising Forensic Scientist Lisa Collins, CODIS Manager Jean Johnston, Forensic Scientist Robert Dorion, WSP Fingerprint Supervisor Angela Hilliard, Violent Offender Task Force Sgt. Keith Rogers and Deputy Lucas Robinson

Letter of Commendation

• LET Cheri King
• LETs Debbie Jones, Gayle Wilkerson-Tiller, Patricia Bornheimer
• LET Terri Funston
• Lead LET Nancy Elmore
• Lead LET Marisa Nishimura
• Transport Coordinator Jane Wolford
• Sgt. Matthew Mattson, Control Room Operators Mary Burrows-Smith, Elizabeth Pollack, and Mishelle McPhail
• Deputy Chris Marino, Deputy Art Wallin
• Detective Eric Fagan
• Deputy Andy Mosalsky
• Cassondra Dailey, Vanessa Brewer (Everett Police Department)
• Sgt. Vince Linnell, Master Patrol Deputy Daniel Johnson, Deputy Mark Stich, Deputy Troy Koster, Deputy Jared Reid, Deputy Tim Leo, Deputy Nathan Alanis*

Citizen Commendation

• Deputy James Gibson, Deputy Josh Hostetter, Deputy Matthew Calnon, Deputy Ryan Boyer, Deputy Bryan Martin
• Deputy Nick Giralmo
• Sgt. David Casey

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