Praise for the police
<p>Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White, right, awards police officers Jason Wiedebush, center, and Jacob Rodgers the police department's Life Saving Award on Monday at the police department's sixth annual awards ceremony at the Hagadone Event Center. Wiedebush and Rodgers were honored for performing in a life-threatening situation that prolonged or saved the life of another person.</p>
<p>Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White, right, awards police officer Jon Cantrell with the police department's Officer of the Year honor on Monday at the police department's sixth annual awards ceremony at the Hagadone Event Center.</p>
<p>A Coeur d'Alene Police Department Police Star medal, awarded to Sgt. Dan O'Dell, is displayed on Monday at the police department's sixth annual awards ceremony at the Hagadone Event Center. The Police Star is the department's third-highest award.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE — The Coeur d’Alene Police Department awarded 38 sworn and non-sworn members of the police department Monday, for their commitment to the safety of Coeur d’Alene.
The sixth annual Coeur d’Alene Police Department Awards Ceremony recognized members of the police force that went above and beyond their call of duty. The ceremony started with the national anthem sung by the Coeur d’Alene High School choir.
Coeur d’Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer spoke first about how proud he was of the police department.
“You do the job people don’t want to do, hear things people don’t want to hear, see things people don’t want to see and maintain your composure,” he said to all the policemen and women and their families in attendance. “In our book, you’re all award winners.”
Coeur d’Alene City Administrator Jim Hammond followed and congratulated the police department on a good year. He said its record is “commendable” based on crime statistics, adding more officers and trying to get better equipment. He asked the police department to continue to be safe on the job.
Police Chief Lee White took over from there and distributed the night’s awards. The highest award, the Medal of Honor, was given to Sgt. Greg Moore who was killed in the line of duty last May.
The room was silent while White paused to collect himself multiple times as he described the incident last year. He said exactly one year ago, he was awarding Sgt. Moore the silver star.
“Our profession is hazardous,” White spoke at the ceremony. “One-hundred-and-twenty-seven officers died in the line of duty in 2015. This year, 30 have died so far. Sgt. Moore will join more than 20,000 names at the Medal of Honor Memorial in Washington, D.C.”
Other awards presented Monday included the Humanitarian Award, the Life Saving Award and the Volunteer of the Year Award. These awards were given, respectively, to Sgt. Brett Walton for working with children in need, Jason Wiedebush and Jacob Rodgers for performing CPR on an unconscious man and Sgt. Josh Schneider and officer Jake Nielsen for performing CPR on an unconscious woman and Bud Arce for giving up his personal time for the community.
Officer Jon Cantrell was awarded Officer of the Year for 2015.
“I had no idea I was going to get it,” he said after the ceremony. “I don’t know who nominated me; I have to find out. I’m excited — I don’t know what to say.”
White also called non-sworn officers to the stage. He gave a number of EMTs and dispatchers awards for their efforts and concern for others’ safety.
The event was held at the Hagadone Event Center and was put together by the Coeur d’Alene Police Department’s Awards Committee.
“We have an amazing police department,” White said after the ceremony. “It’s my honor to recognize the work they put in day-in and day-out. Tonight was just a glimpse of the work they do.”