PADUCAH — The Paducah Police Department honored nearly 40 people in a ceremony at Walker Hall Thursday evening, recognizing them for their "outstanding service to the community" in the past year.
According to a Friday release, the following people were recognized:
Paducah Police Department Employee of the Year
Officer Pedro Loredo
Officer Pedro Loredo Jr. was named Employee of the Year. According to the PPD, he's been at the department for four years.
Officers say in August of 2022, Loredo chased a gunman from the parking lot of a convenience store.
Officers say Loredo heard a gunshot and saw a man pointing the gun at people.
Loredo took the man into custody after a foot pursuit, remaining calm and providing vital information to first responders, the release explains.
Upon investigation, it was discovered the gunman shot two people and robbed one of them.
Loredo also received a Meritorious Service Award in connection to this event.
Officer Zane White
Meritorious Service Award
According to the PPD website, this award is given in recognition of a "highly unusual accomplishment," typically performed in adverse conditions — with a degree of hazard to the life and safety of the employee.
Officer White received a Meritorious Service Award for his assistance at the scene of an accident that occurred outside of Paducah City limits, the release explains.
According to the PPD, a pickup truck caught fire with the driver inside. Officer White and another deputy used multiple fire extinguishers to "help keep the fire from engulfing the truck."
"Without regard for his own safety, Officer White endured heat, nearby flames and heavy smoke to help ensure the safety of the driver," the police department says.
Citizen Service Awards
According to the PPD website, these awards are given in recognition of an "outstanding act or service by a citizen" that either contributes to saving someone's life or substantially aids an officer in the performance of their duties.
- Corey Goatley assisted an officer with a suicidal person on the Beltline overpass in July.
- Kent Cadwell administered CPR to a man who collapsed at the pickleball courts at Noble Park in July.
- Terrance Brown assisted officers in subduing a hostile, aggressive man who was threatening to jump off the balcony of a local motel in August.
- Amy Richards, Josh Franklin, Jacob Franklin and Brice Wilkerson pulled a seizing man from a wrecked vehicle in September.
- James “Darren” Sparks assisted an officer with a fighting suspect, allowing the officer to subdue and arrest them in August. This is his second Citizen Service Award.
- Brandy Elliott freed two elderly women from a wrecked vehicle that was "teetering on top of a culvert" in October. She escorted them to safety and stayed with them until officers arrived.
Lifesaving Awards
According to the release, each of the people involved in the following incidents would have likely died if it hadn't been for the actions of the officers:
- Officers Brandon Cupp, Dylan Cook and James Robbins administered Narcan to people suffering from drug overdoses.
- Officer Alex Liebenrood providing first aid to a man who had been stabbed.
- Sgt. Jordan Murphy performed CPR on an unresponsive infant.
- Officers Ryan Euteneier and Austin Gruner ran between a crash scene and a nearby home, providing buckets of water to help extinguish a fire in one of the vehicles.
- Officers Daniel Hunerkoch and Julia Cross applied a tourniquet to the arm of a man who had been badly cut, and performed CPR on him.
- Officer Keith Thuline performed CPR on the driver of a vehicle involved in a crash.
- Officer Matthew York performed CPR on a woman found unresponsive on the ground downtown.
Service Commendations
According to the PPD website, these awards are given in recognition of performance "above and beyond" what is required or exceptional skill and conduct during a coordinated action; characterized by self-sacrifice while facing a personal danger or exceptional investigative work.
- Dispatcher Emilee Jones was awarded for her work at the 911 Center after a tractor-trailer vs. pickup truck crash.
- Dispatchers Jones and Auston Scutt received Service Commendations for their work during a double-shooting call and the subsequent arrest of the suspect by police.
- Dispatchers Hillary Fowler and Patrick Bugg received Service Commendations for their work assisting rescuers in locating a man who was stuck in an unstable tree stand and did not know his location.
- Dispatcher Stephanie Goins was awarded for her work regarding a call of a person overdosing in another jurisdiction.
- Sgt. Nickolas Francescon, Officer Dylan Cook, Officer Jennifer Simmonds and Officer James Whitworth received Service Commendations for their work on a call involving a 10- year-old child armed with a knife.
- Detectives Corey Willenborg, Beau Green and Nathan Jaimet received Service Commendations for their work on a fentanyl-trafficking investigation.
- Officer Noah Willett was awarded for his work with the department’s License Plate Reader.
- Officer Keith Thuline and Officer Pedro Loredo were recognized as recipients of the 2022 Governor’s Occupant Protection Award and 2022 Governor’s Impaired Driving Enforcement Award, respectively.
- Det. Sgt. Jason Hicks received a Chief’s Award for his continuing dedication to the department’s investigative unit and his support of the detectives he supervises.
Driving Awards
- Officers Alex Liebenrood and William Hendrickson received 5-Year Safe Driving Awards
- Det. Nathan Jaimet, Sgt. Nickolas Francescon and Assistant Chief Anthony Copeland received 10-Year Safe Driving Awards
- Officer Joshua Bryant, Det. Beau Green, Capt. Joseph Hayes and Assistant Chief Justin Crowell received 15-Year Safe Driving Awards
