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2021 Top Cops

APB Team

During National Police Weekend, the National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) paid tribute to the heroic work of dozens of law enforcement officers from across the country at its 28th annual Top Cops Awards dinner in Washington, D.C., on October 15. 

Each year, members of federal, state, county, tribal and local agencies nationwide nominate their fellow officers for actions above and beyond the call of duty during the preceding year. From the hundreds of nominations, an independent committee of national law enforcement representatives selects one case for each of the 50 states and U.S. territories, of which 10 are named Top Cops Award winners.  

Congratulations to all the 2021 honorees for their outstanding service! 

On June 13, 2020, when 2-year-old twin girls were kidnapped by their father, who then drove his truck off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean with them inside, San Diego Police Officer Jonathan Wiese used his K-9’s leash to rappel down a cliff and swam out to rescue the children. (NAPO/Jenifer Morris Photography)
Deputy U.S. Marshals Jorge Betancur and Frederick Porcaro and NYPD Detective Rodney Wallace-Messam were part of the team that entered a Bronx home on December 4, 2020, to apprehend a suspect who had shot a Massachusetts state trooper two weeks before. In what was clearly an ambush, the suspect opened fire, wounding Betancur and Porcaro before being killed by law enforcement. Wallace-Messam fell and shattered his tibia as he was carrying Betancur to receive medical aid for his injury. (NAPO/Jenifer Morris Photography)
After Trooper Joseph Bullock was fatally shot while assisting a disabled vehicle on February 5, 2020, Riviera Beach Police Detective Jemel Headings happened to be driving past, stopped to render aid and was himself menaced by the attacker. His decisive and brave actions prevented the shooter from harming anyone else. (NAPO/Jenifer Morris Photography)
Prince George’s County Police Officers First Class Matthew Scott and Brandon Westfall, Corporal Robert Boyce and Sergeant Haris Johnson held their ground during a violent exchange of gunfire with two heavily armed suspects on August 23, 2020, sustaining injuries but ultimately taking the dangerous felons into custody. (NAPO/Jenifer Morris Photography)
While off duty on October 31, 2020, Detroit Police Lieutenant Jeffrey Morin stopped for a soda at his neighborhood 7-Eleven and ended up stopping a dangerous armed robber. Morin was unable to travel to D.C. for the ceremony, so his award was accepted by Lieutenant Mark Young, president of the Detroit Police Lieutenants and Sergeants Association. (NAPO/Jenifer Morris Photography)
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Captain Dori Koren, Sergeant Erik Perkett, Detective Aaron Denson, and Officers Logan Jex, TJ Keller, Keaton Courtley, Carl Loskill, Kyle Quimiro and Shay Mikalonis were recognized for their courage on the night of June 1, 2020, when Mikalonis was shot in the neck during a protest and the other officers rushed to aid him and protect the demonstrators. Mikalonis survived but remains paralyzed from the neck down. Lieutenant Erik Lloyd was also recognized, for his tireless work to raise funds to assist the Mikalonis family before he tragically contracted COVID-19 and passed away on July 29, 2020. Lloyd was represented at the ceremony by his wife, Minddie, and retired Deputy Chief Patrick Neville accepted the award on behalf of Mikalonis, his stepson. (NAPO/Jenifer Morris Photography)
While helping a victim of domestic violence collect her belongings from her residence on November 24, 2020, NYPD Officers Joseph Murphy and Christopher Wells were ambushed by the suspect in the case, who opened fire. Despite both being injured, the officers were able to protect the victim and return fire, killing the gunman. (NAPO/Jenifer Morris Photography)
On November 10, 2020, Oklahoma City police embarked on a manhunt when a suspect killed his girlfriend, fled with the couple’s child, stole two cars and killed a second person. After a pursuit and shootout, the reign of terror was brought to an end by Officers Zachary Barby, Benjamin Cain and Robin Ridner; Sergeants Julian Barrie, Kelly Jon Cassidy and Mark Garrett; Master Sergeants John Baker and Matt Gilmore; and Captain Valerie Littlejohn. (NAPO/Jenifer Morris Photography)
The “Nashville Six,” Metropolitan Nashville Police Sergeant Timothy Miller and Officers Brenna Hosey, Tylor Luellen, Michael Sipos, Amanda Topping and James Wells, averted unthinkable disaster on December 25, 2020, when they evacuated residents in the nick of time before a bomb-rigged motor home exploded downtown. (NAPO/Jenifer Morris Photography)
Naval Air Station Corpus Christi Security Department Master-At-Arms Petty Officer Third Class Levi Milligan and Master-At-Arms Petty Officer Second Class Yaisa Coburn stopped a terrorism-motivated shooter who tried to force his way onto the base on May 21, 2020. (NAPO/Jenifer Morris Photography)

As seen in the November 2021 issue of American Police Beat magazine.
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