Law Enforcement Medal of Honor awarded to 136 recipients from 41 agencies across Illinois

ILLINOIS (KFVS) - Local and state officers from across Illinois were honored on Wednesday, May 31 for their acts of heroism.

The Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Committee awarded 136 officers from 41 agencies the Medal of Honor. It was the first ceremony held since 2016.

Governor JB Pritzker, Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly and law enforcement officials from across the state attended the event.

“Every single one of our Medal of Honor Awardees exemplify the unwavering unselfishness and courage that it takes to be a true public servant,” Governor JB Pritzker said in a release. “From the July 4th Highland Park massacre to hostage situations and armed robberies, Illinois’ police officers respond to our most daunting emergencies with resolve and selflessness — and on behalf of the people of Illinois, we couldn’t be more grateful.”

According to the news release from ISP, the Medal of Honor is awarded to officers who have been killed or seriously injured in the line of duty or who have displayed exceptional bravery or heroism while performing their duties as a law enforcement officer.

“The special souls we pay tribute to met the common daily challenge of enforcing our laws with uncommon bravery,” ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly said in the release. “The Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Committee and the Illinois State Police honor these heroes, some who paid the ultimate price, in the pursuit of justice and the protection of public safety.”

Of the recipients, some are from the Heartland, including, from 2017, Sgt. Guy G. Draper with the Carbondale Police Department.

Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy David May also received an award for a 2021 incident involving a violent attempted escape of an inmate in the courthouse sally port.

The full list of recipients from 2017-2022 includes:

Aurora Police Department

2022

• Officer Alexander Lopez
• Officer Andrew C. Soderlund

Belvidere Police Department

2017

• Officer Ryan R. Davenport
• Officer Joseph M. McDermott

Bloomingdale Police Department

2017

• Officer Raymond A. Murrell - posthumously

Bolingbrook Police Department

2022

• Officer Salvatore Davi

Bradley Police Department

2021

• Officer Tyler J. Bailey
• Sergeant Marlene R. Rittmanic - posthumously

Bridgeview Police Department

2019

• Officer John Stein

Brooklyn Police Department

2021

• Officer Brian R. Pierce Jr. - posthumously

Carbondale Police Department

2017

• Sergeant Guy G. Draper

Carpentersville Police Department

2019

• Sergeant Kevin M. Stankowitz
• Officer Ian R. Abrahamsen

Champaign Police Department

2021

• Officer Jeffrey J. Creel
• Officer Christopher N. Oberheim - posthumously

Chicago Heights Police Department

2021

• Officer Gary S. Hibbs - posthumously

Chicago Police Department

2017

• Sergeant Michael Keeney
• Sergeant Scott Kravitz
• Sergeant John Pellegrini
• Sergeant Sonia Rios
• Sergeant Erick Seng
• Officer Bernard W. Domagala - posthumously
• Officer Patrick W. Forbes
• Officer David Hardt
• Officer Martin Hernandez
• Officer Michael L. Hudson
• Officer Joel Lopez
• Officer Luis Lopez
• Officer Victoria Mendoza
• Officer Christian Nunez
• Officer David Perez
• Officer Efrain Rodriguez
• Officer Andre H. Van Vegten - posthumously

2018

• Commander Paul R. Bauer - posthumously
• Officer Conrad Gary - posthumously
• Officer Samuel Jimenez - posthumously
• Officer Eduardo Marmolejo - posthumously
• Officer Elvis Turcinovic

2019

• Lieutenant Thomas Lamb Jr.
• Sergeant John Hamilton
• Detective Michael J. Chiocca
• Officer James Henson
• Officer Angelina M. Palermo
• Officer Fernando Soto
• Officer Michaela Tuohy
• Officer Jairo Valeriano
• Officer Adam M. Wazny
• Officer George Whiting

2020

• Sergeant Frank V. Ramaglia
• Officer Carlos Castillo

2021

• Sergeant Mathew J. Lopez
• Officer Mark R. Bean
• Officer Joshua Blas
• Officer Roger Ferreira
• Officer Ella G. French - posthumously
• Officer Julio Garcia
• Officer Brayan Jauregui
• Officer Michael Kocerka
• Officer Bernard Lee Jr.
• Officer Daniel McAuliffe
• Officer Adrian McCoy
• Officer Nicolas Morales Jr.
• Officer Mark J. Nakayama
• Officer Eduardo Perez
• Officer Thomas Raap
• Officer Justin Simik-Valadez
• Officer Crysel A. Torres
• Officer Carlos A. Yanez Jr.

2022

• Officer Fabian Arreola
• Officer Rudy Estrada
• Officer Sean J. Murray
• Officer Erik A. Moreno
• Officer Olivia A. Sardella
• Officer Felipe A. Zamorano

Cicero Police Department

2018

• Officer Jamarie Coleman
• Officer Luis Duarte

DeKalb Police Department

2021

• Officer Brian Bollow
• Officer Kaela Gardner

Dixon Police Department

2018

• Officer Mark A. Dallas

East Moline Police Department

2019

• Officer Ryan T. Clark
• Officer Logan A. Wolfe

East Peoria Police Department

2021

• Officer Jeffrey A. Bieber

Evanston Police Department

2020

• Officer Brandon Marx

2021

• Officer Justin L. Conely
• Officer Corey D. McCray
• Officer Adam A. Nawotka
• Officer Karl M. Witt

Fulton County Sheriff’s Office

2019

• Deputy Troy P. Chisum - posthumously

Glen Ellyn Police Department

2017

• Officer Kevin J. Riggle

Hampton Police Department

2020

• Chief of Police Terrence A. Engle - posthumously

Hometown Police Department

2021

• Lieutenant James Kouski - posthumously

Illinois Conservation Police

2017

• Conservation Police Officer Shane M. Teas

Illinois Gaming Board

2020

• Senior Special Agent Bryan E. Hileman

Illinois State Police

2017

• Sergeant Nicholas Colon
• Trooper Ryan M. Albin - posthumously
• Trooper Chad Martinez
• Trooper Gerald W. Ellis - posthumously
• Trooper Jeffery A. Graham
• Trooper Nicholas J. Hopkins - posthumously
• Trooper Brooke Jones-Story - posthumously
• Trooper Christopher J. Lambert - posthumously

2019

• Trooper Kyle M. Seger

2021

• Trooper Adam G. Bowers
• Trooper Brian W. Frank
• Trooper Jeffery A. Graham
• Trooper Matthew W. Hannan
• Trooper Todd A. Hanneken - posthumously
• Trooper Delano Harris-Samuels
• Trooper Michael D. Higgins
• Trooper Tyler J. Hoogerwerf
• Trooper Alexander J. Oakley
• Trooper Steven E. Smith
• Trooper Robert D. Swift
• Special Agent Mark S. Perry

2022

• Sergeant Jeff D. Moore
• Trooper Kristopher Martinez
• Trooper Matthew A. Reents

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office

2021

• Deputy David A. May

Jerseyville Police Department

2017

• Officer Nathan D. Miller

Knox County Sherriff’s Department

2022

• Deputy Sheriff Nicholas D. Weist - posthumously

Lake County Sheriff’s Office

2018

• Deputy John B. Forlenza
• Deputy Raymond J. Gilbert

Lombard Police Department

2022

• Detective Ryan A. Postal

McHenry County Sheriff’s Office

2020

• Sergeant Daniel Kramer
• Deputy Thomas Sieber

2019

• Deputy Jacob H. Keltner - posthumously

North Aurora Police Department

2017

• Officer Christopher M. Joswick

Oswego Police Department

2017

• Officer Brandon T. Dilg

Peoria Police Department

2018

• Officer Ian K. McDowell

Pontoon Beach Police Department

2021

• Officer Tyler N. Timmins - posthumously

Rockford Police Department

2017

• Officer Jaimie J. Cox - posthumously

University of Chicago Police Department

2018

• Officer Nicholas Twardak

Wamac Police Department

2019

• Chief of Police Steve R. Prather

Waukegan Police Department

2017

• Officer Peter V. Lyons

2018

• Officer Christopher A. Harris

Wayne County Sheriff’s Department

2021

• Deputy Sean I. Riley - posthumously

The Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Committee was established in statute through the Law Enforcement and Fire Fighting Medal of Honor Act in 1990. Current committee members include ISP Director Kelly, Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Executive Director Keith Calloway, Chicago Police Department Interim Superintendent Eric Carter, DeKalb Police Department Chief David Byrd, retired ISP Master Sergeant and St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye, and McHenry County Conservation District Police Chief Laura King.

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