Recipients 2002

On September 12, 2001, Deputy Herzog was a passenger in a patrol car that crashed during a high-speed pursuit of a vehicle that was eluding the police. Deputy Herzog died the next day from massive head injuries he sustained in the crash.

Officer Hubbard was shot and killed on September 10, 1886, by the son of a man he had arrested in Douglas County. That man had been charged with murder, and the Officer Hubbard was transporting him from Douglas County to the Spokane Jail. While riding in the wagon, Officer Hubbard and his prisoner were ambushed by the man's son on the way back to Spokane. They were both shot and killed.

On September 20, 1923, Agent Mooring, a Seattle-based prohibition agent, was assaulted, knocked to the ground and shot in the back by operators of a cigar store in Cosmopolis. Agent Mooring and his fellow agents were working to uncover violations of the federal liquor laws when the suspects recognized him as a federal prohibition agent. On April 1, 1925, approximately 19 months after being critically wounded, Agent Mooring died of pneumonia - a complication of the gunshot wound he suffered.

Officer Rusk served Spokane when it was just a frontier town in 1886, with no regular police force. There were many hostilities between the Native Americans and the settlers at that time, and Officer Rusk had tried to put a stop to many of those problems in the town. There were many people that plotted vengeance against him. When he left town on April 22, 1886, two known Indian troublemakers followed him. When Officer Rusk's horses returned to town alone, a search party went out looking for him and found his body at Dead Man's Creek.

On March 7, 2001, Officer Underwood was on patrol when he observed four individuals walking along the highway. He recognized one of them to be a wanted felon and, after calling for back up, decided to approach them immediately to limit their opportunity to escape. One of the suspects drew a handgun and shot and killed Officer Underwood.

On December 18, 2001, Officers Markus and Martinez responded to a car accident along the Yakima River. The car had skidded off the snow-covered roadway, down an embankment and was upside-down in the icy river. With total disregard for their personal safety and against the advice of the fire chief, the officers removed their equipment belts and ballistic vests, traversed the treacherous snow-covered embankment and dove into the icy waters. After helping to secure the vehicle, they pried the jammed doors open and worked together to remove the unconscious victims by repeatedly entering the submerged vehicle and working totally by feel. Despite the frantic efforts of the officers and other emergency personnel at the scene, the four victims succumbed to their injuries. Officers Markus and Martinez exemplified the finest traditions of the police profession by displaying extreme courage while consciously facing imminent peril. Their heroic actions reflect the true reverence they hold for the lives of the citizens they serve.

On the morning of May 15, 1989, Officer Sigfrinius was on traffic patrol on his motorcycle in Seattle. He observed a speeding car, measured its speed with his radar, and chased and pulled over the vehicle. The officer expected this to be a routine traffic stop, like the many thousands he had made in the course of his 20 years of police service. Sadly, it was not. The driver was a felon who had killed in New Mexico and was a fugitive from justice. As Officer Sigfrinius confronted the driver, he shot the officer in the chest. The bullet passed through Officer Sigfrinius and severed his spinal cord. In spite of his catastrophic injury, Officer Sigfrinius continued to fight, drawing his revolver and firing several shots into the car. Because of the damage done to the car by the officer's gunfire, the criminals had to abandon it and flee on foot. They were apprehended several hours later. Officer Sigfrinius survived his ordeal, but he was paralyzed by the wounds he suffered. He faced a long rehabilitation process with great courage, and continues to serve the public in his second term as mayor of the city of Goldendale.

On August 6, 2001, officers James Erickson and Shane Oien responded to a report of a domestic violence order of protection violation at a local business. When the suspect returned to the office to confront his former girlfriend, the officers attempted to make contact with him inside the building. He turned away, drew his handgun and began shooting at the officers and the rest of the office. Officers Erickson and Oien returned fire and pursued the suspect into the hallway. As the suspect fired again in the direction of the officers and the office workers, Officer Erickson fired at the suspect, striking him. The suspect went down, but took cover. The officers could see he was injured, but thought he still posed a threat. They covered the building's front entrance and instructed people to leave the building. These officers placed themselves between the shooter and the office workers, and their actions undoubtedly saved the life of the domestic violence victim and the lives of her co-workers.

Deputy Fajardo responded to a call at an apartment complex on June 7, 2001, involving an emotionally-disturbed man wielding a samurai sword. The man had smashed the sliding glass door of an apartment, and chased the resident from it. He then made threatening gestures with the sword to several other residents. When Deputy Fajardo pulled into the parking lot and got out of his car, he was immediately confronted the man who was advancing on a small cluster of unarmed and frightened citizens. Deputy Fajardo deliberately placed himself between the man and the others, drew his handgun and asked the man repeatedly to put down the sword. When the man continued to move toward the deputy to within a blade length of him, Deputy Fajardo fired his gun, killing the man. Deputy Fajardo put his own life at risk in order to save others from grave danger.