10th Annual Public Safety Awards

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Keep reading for a list of this year's award recipients, who will be recognized at our award ceremony on June 4th.

Gold Medal of Valor

Officer Langley Dean – Hagerstown Police Department

Officer Richard Dean – Hagerstown Police Department

Enduring extreme personal risk during a domestic violence call, resulting in Officer Langley Dean being shot in the arm

Silver Medal of Valor

Sergeant Eric Knode – Hagerstown Police Department

Sergeant Mark Morris – Hagerstown Police Department

Officer Scott Huff – Hagerstown Police Department

Officer Spencer Nigh – Hagerstown Police Department

Officer Christopher Woody – Hagerstown Police Department

Rescued an occupant from a burning building resulting in all 5 officers being transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation

Officer Scott Huff - Hagerstown Police Department

Officer Jacob Mull - Hagerstown Police Department

Apprehension of an armed felony warrant suspect

Chief Jacob Altman – Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Company Boat 4

2^nd Lieutenant Keith Cooper – Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Company Boat 4

Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator Scott Adams – Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Company Boat 4

Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator Ben Hoopengardner – Washington County Division of Emergency Services Boat 20-05

Firefighter II–Tech Clay Shealy – Washington County Division of Emergency Services Boat 20-05

Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator Kyle Lewis – Washington County Division of Emergency Services Boat 20-10

Lieutenant - Field Operations Chris Fraley – Washington County Division of Emergency Services Boat 20-10

Coordinator - Volunteer Services Oley Griffith – Washington County Division of Emergency Services 

1st Lieutenant Zachary Schmidt – Hancock Volunteer Fire Company

Bravery leading to the successful rescue and evacuation of 22 residents and children during a flash flood

Bronze Medal of Valor

Sergeant Spencer Shank – Washington County Sheriff's Office

Sergeant Mikhael Weaver – Washington County Sheriff's Office

Master Deputy Gerardo Cerda – Washington County Sheriff's Office

Master Deputy Philip Schnurr – Washington County Sheriff's Office

Deputy First Class Brett Colvin – Washington County Sheriff's Office

Deputy First Class Brandon Dillman – Washington County Sheriff's Office

Deputy First Class Nikolas McKoy – Washington County Sheriff's Office

Safe resolution of a dangerous barricade situation involving heavy objects being thrown from an attic at deputies and deployment of CS chemical irritant

Officer Amanda Boyle – Hagerstown Police Department

Officer Joshua Ward – Hagerstown Police Department

Safely took a large male subject who was exhibiting aggressive behavior and had placed an officer in a headlock into custody

Deputy James Hines – Washington County Sheriff’s Office 

Deputy First Class Sara Sutton – Washington County Sheriff’s Office

Apprehension of an armed convicted felon during a traffic stop

Master Deputy Roy Roberts – Washington County Sheriff’s Office

Successfully arrested an armed suspect who was pointing a semi-automatic handgun at an occupied apartment, eliminating a significant threat

Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator Robert Gordon – Washington County Division of Emergency Services

Removal of a crew member from a live burn training after found in the burn building face down & unresponsive

Hero Award

Officer Thomas Wolfe – Hagerstown Police Department

Swift action to retrieve a critical patient's life-sustaining medical device from his residence

Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator Mike Reid – Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Company

Initiated CPR on a two-week old infant that was not breathing

Captain Justin Ruppenthal – Community Rescue Service

Quick life-saving response to traumatic amputation of a motorcycle accident patient's leg AND life-saving response to clear water out of a 9-year-old drowning victim's airway

Fire Apparatus Operator Tyler Rotelle – Hagerstown Fire Department

Fire Apparatus Operator Zachary Schmidt – Hagerstown Fire Department

Quick life-saving response to a nearby & unassigned cardiac arrest

Paramedic Chuck Smith – Washington County Division of Emergency Services

Life-saving response to a severe head trauma patient while off duty

Unit Achievement Award

Charlie Shift, Criminal Investigations Unit, Drone Operations Team, and Crisis Negotiators – Hagerstown Police Department

Washington County Special Response Team, WCSO Hostage Negotiation Team – Washington County Sheriff’s Office

Crisis Negotiator Master Trooper William Talbert – Maryland State Police

Response to shooting of HPD Officer Langley Dean

Auxiliary Captain Mike Pannill and Team – Hagerstown Police Department Auxiliary Police Unit

Response to 1,089 calls and contribution of 4,152 volunteer hours in 2025

Washington County Sheriff’s Office Squad 2

Master Deputy Charles Keyser 

Deputy William Bourne 

Master Deputy Nicholas Shirley 

Deputy First Class Colton Sivic 

Deputy Collin Nigh 

Master Deputy Cole Smith 

Deputy Emma Hamilton 

Master Deputy Scott Smith 

Lieutenant Mark Price 

Detective Andrew Koontz 

Teamwork to locate, identify, and stop a suspect that had fired shots at another vehicle from a commercial tractor trailer out of road rage

Hagerstown Fire Department Engine 1

Fire Apparatus Operator Joseph Sellers

Fire Apparatus Operator Michael Mills

Hagerstown Fire Department Engine 4 & Truck 4

Fire Apparatus Operator Scott Ricker

Fire Apparatus Operator Tyler Rotelle

Fire Apparatus Operator Michael Haupt

Fire Apparatus Operator Matthew O'Connell

Hagerstown Fire Department Battalion 3

Battalion Chief Brian Henry

Fire Apparatus Operator Liam Harbert

Teamwork to preserve life and property during a high-rise apartment fire

Washington County Emergency Communications 9-1-1 BAKER Shift

Supervisor Alan Crawford

Supervisor Dwayne Flook

Joe Arch

Emily Buffenmeyer

Beth Dattilio

Belle Galvin

Ethan Grim

Bill Haines

Brandi Hambleton

Maggie Keller

Shirely Liu

James Miller

Bethani Mummert

Logan Murphy

Aaron Myers

Todd Nesbitt

Isabella Nicewarner

Amanda Wagner

Courtney Weaver

Derek Bish

Answered 995 calls in one hour during a storm system whilst ensuring all responders were taking the quickest routes and arriving at their intended destinations 

Community Volunteer Fire Company of District 12

Fire Apparatus Operator Ben Nalborcyzk 

Firefighter Emily Kopp 

Chief Robert Gordon 

Fire Apparatus Operator Charles Burleson 

Firefighter Chad Clipp 

Washington County Department of Emergency Services

Captain Michael Hayter 

Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator James Picking 

Firefighter John Sharpe 

Seamless work in freeing a victim who was trapped beneath a fallen tree

Williamsport Volunteer Fire Company & EMS

Fire Apparatus Operator Jason Strite

Chief Donnie Bingaman

Firefighter Jaren Peterman

Firefighter Adam Metz

Deputy Chief Michael Nokes

Lieutenant Chris Amos III

Assistant Chief Wes Shipley

Washington County Department of Emergency Services

Paramedic Jeremy Mackrell

Paramedic Haley Theilgaard

Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator Emily Kopp

Firefighter/Fire Apparatus Operator Ian Ludwig

Captain Casey McKnight

Deputy Director Dave Chisholm

Coordinator - Volunteer Services Oley Griffith

Teamwork to rescue a trapped victim from the roof of a burning building and extinguish the fire

Telecommunications Award

Emergency Dispatcher III Diane Rosenthal – Maryland State Police Emergency Dispatch

Exceptional job training new emergency dispatch trainees, making quick decisions despite a busy work environment, participation in annual MSP events, and providing METERS certifications to troopers and civilians

Distinguished Service Award

Master Deputy Joseph McCoy – Washington County Sheriff’s Office

Sustained excellence in performance, proactive policing, leadership roles, and significant drug interdiction impacting regional crime in 2025

Trooper First Class Travis Capezuto – Maryland State Police

Proven excellence through traffic enforcement, DUI arrests, teamwork, and consistent dedication to community safety

Community Service Award

Hagerstown Police Department School Resource Officers (SRO) Unit

Sergeant Eric Knode

Officer Heather Aleshire

Officer Thomas Neibauer

Officer Michael Alderton

Officer Doug Oates

Dedicated youth engagement through Junior Police Academy fostering trust, leadership, and positive community relationships

Corporal Scott Ciccarelli – Maryland State Police

Dedication to leading community outreach through Shop with a Cop, Trunk or Treat, mentoring Troopers, and fostering trust and positive youth engagement

Volunteer Achievement Award

Assistant Chief James R. McConnell Jr. – Washington County Emergency Support Services

Commitment to mentoring personnel, maintaining essential equipment, and providing reliable emergency response throughout years of volunteer service

Vice President Darryl Benner – Sharpsburg Volunteer Fire Company

50 years of volunteer service advancing regional public safety, mentoring generations, ensuring firefighter safety, and strengthening community through unwavering service and leadership

Lifetime Achievement Award

Officer James Robison – Hagerstown Police Department

30+ years of service marked by leadership, continued contribution post-retirement, mentorship, and enduring impact on community and department success