[{"_1":2,"_97":-5,"_98":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6704536,"mediaKeyId","5610146-3097ad693d34a92a92eaef928008a578","parentId",5610146,"title","APD presents lifesaving and meritorious-service medals for multiple emergency responses","audioSeconds",565,"startMs",2011000,"endMs",2576000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5610146-3097ad693d34a92a92eaef928008a578&start=2011&end=2576","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5610146-3097ad693d34a92a92eaef928008a578/thumbnail_2011000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6704536/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/APD-presents-lifesaving-and-meritorious-service-medals-for-multiple-emergency-responses","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6704536-19fd621354992b28876cbb57e9cd5d7c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770735457&Signature=B1fkkr8S4zadMXlLugZ2oHG4Su69ygh-FQA95EaV2vLPwYarjTANulF4iC4lM2epl7A9ZGTDk5s7PmAMFbHuD7YCbth3JaFj45uPCJXoGmycTt40L1odgs6AQ67-7wtU53BzADuqbv-XF0RXhH2OnKcA4Y7gwLULDKZ~Dy06i2-j73Ot6DSRsgaW5HW-Wblk88GB8hwui-Kv5jou8UMEUEj4KouBW74yvk5x3bO0GXe24wEEjumZYvSrBkP~MOuyX~aOAVDVfgRcPwuavG-sk0Lj414D834AXMpvWZrQYm2MJP-inVjvCj8YLwmwR0kLS68ZoA2RyYRck2MycNmGHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-08-20T00:00:00Z","article","During the Austin Police Department’s quarterly awards ceremony, supervisors read nominations and presented lifesaving and meritorious-service medals for several incidents in which officers rendered immediate aid or led critical responses.

Sergeant Wu described a Nov. 10, 2024, incident involving Detective Davis, who arrived after a witness reported a male throwing a female from a bridge. According to the nomination read at the ceremony, Detective Davis climbed down bridge supports, pulled the female from water where her head was “halfway underwater,” and coordinated with Austin Fire Department personnel to extricate her; the nominator said that Davis’s actions “ultimately led to the victim getting the medical assistance she required to save her life.”

Lieutenant David Nordstrom read a nomination for Corporal Thomas Villarreal for an May 18, 2024, response to a suicidal individual on a bridge. The nomination says Villarreal physically intervened, held the subject and deescalated the situation for five minutes without backup, then transferred the subject to medical professionals.

Sergeant Tim Hamby read the nomination for Officer Riley Smith, saying that on Feb. 15, 2025, Smith intervened to stop a missing high-risk suicidal juvenile who had fled Dell Children’s Hospital and attempted to climb over a parking garage railing; Smith pulled the subject to safety and returned the juvenile to the hospital.

Sergeant Lancellata and other nominators recounted a March 25, 2025, arrest where Officers Adam Carodi and Rosalie Callejas applied tourniquets and pressure to stop life-threatening bleeding after a subject sustained severe lacerations while fleeing a trespass. The nomination credited the officers’ application of three tourniquets and a pressure bandage with preventing fatal blood loss.

Sergeant Michael Jones read the nomination for Officer Joshua Lobb and Officer Allen DiMartini for an April 25 incident at 2817 Kintish Drive in which officers found a subject hanging in a tree, cut the ligature, and began CPR until Austin-Travis County EMS regained a pulse; the nomination cited hospital staff who said the officers’ rapid actions gave the subject a chance to survive.

Sergeant Steven Yerco read a nomination for Officer Amy Petrie and Officer Matthew Bishop, who located a collapsed person who was not breathing, immediately provided CPR and sustained life-saving measures until higher-level care arrived.

The department also presented a meritorious-service award for Officer Brian McCullough and Officer James Morgan for their leadership and measured crowd-control actions during a protest that escalated into a violent street takeover on Feb. 3, 2025, at Rutland Drive and North Lamar; the nomination states they organized a skirmish line and used a measured pepper-ball response to disperse the crowd and restore order.

Presenters repeatedly noted that many of the lifesaving actions were captured on body-worn camera and documented in incident reports; nominators credited rapid intervention, CPR and tactical medical care with saving lives.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - APD Summer Awards Ceremony","oneSentenceSummary","At the same ceremony APD awarded lifesaving medals to officers who intervened in suicide attempts, a severe bleeding injury and a bridge fall, and gave meritorious-service recognition for crowd-control and other actions.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6704537,"Austin Police Department honors employees with service milestones, promotions and retirements",3970,29000,3999000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5610146-3097ad693d34a92a92eaef928008a578&start=29&end=3999","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5610146-3097ad693d34a92a92eaef928008a578/thumbnail_29000.jpg","/articles/6704537/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Austin-Police-Department-honors-employees-with-service-milestones-promotions-and-retirements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6704537-28f1bc57236f52aaa36fadc0b219e9de/orig.mp4?Expires=1770735457&Signature=Nugg-assw0d5vHQqDWFn~0P9w0RvNd4DhIuJubpp0JWPmXAQSBBx~Q8yaEufiZu3Sj4YdL~GmHke~57dXct2sVcFtKOzhKN9ZN-3t8xwcgryffLnXTpvsIIO3Xxp-Rbc9yi1cFNEcbrclSzpm9CgdLJ6kt~VaS9hpfXFRoklUryoMA03vJ7Fq6HI1CkcDRYDFG7hekmic0wAqnlbeBLZ~oTuE0H129quznUfN8KgHX2NJ~a9Izxi9T5lh~XXMMumPuD-uJT515etXiTrkmeUl16FvvOaEuYTH~tp0a3ctJ8Mao9ZI1~Ud6ad4hTbqf0QT1~Q8~elStnA3TTyFLQT8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Austin Police Department held a quarterly awards and recognition ceremony where leaders recognized employees for service milestones, announced promotions across sworn and civilian ranks and honored retiring staff.

Acting on behalf of Chief Joseph Davis, Chief James Mason opened the event and thanked families for their support, saying it was “a joyful occasion” to pause and recognize officers and staff. Chief of Staff Robin Henderson led logistical remarks and introduced speakers including Senior Chaplain Ken Farmer, who gave opening prayers and a remembrance for fallen officers.

The department presented service awards for multiple anniversary milestones. Among those named onstage: 20-year recognitions for Detective Frank Corpus and Officer Roger Aguilar; 25-year awards for Karen Fitzgerald, division manager for diversity, equity and inclusion, and victim-services counselor Melby Huerta; and 30-year acknowledgments for members of the 1986 cadet class including Lieutenant Jim Beck and Sergeant Billy Hurst. APD also called members of several cadet classes forward to receive group recognitions.

The department announced many civilian and sworn promotions. Civilian promotions included Aaliyah Davila (contract management specialist 1), Anjalay Armstrong (financial manager II), Jackie Huerta Vasquez (contract management specialist 2) and multiple promotions within Emergency Communications (ECOMS), including Michael Payne as assistant manager. Sworn promotions read aloud by presenters included lists of officers promoted to corporal/detective rank, sergeant, lieutenant and commander; the ceremony named individuals including Alejandro Lopez, Andrew Carroll, Adam Torres and James Alexander among others.

APD recognized units and individuals with special citations. The Edward 400s were named Patrol Unit of the Year and TAC Intel was named Non-Patrol Unit of the Year; the department invited attendees to a unit awards ceremony scheduled for Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. The next quarterly awards ceremony was announced for Nov. 19, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.

Retirements were highlighted toward the end of the program. The department read tributes for long-serving employees including 30-year lieutenant Jim Beck, Assistant Chief Jazette Gaslin Disher (retiring and taking the chief position at Austin Community College), and numerous civilian retirees such as April Arzola, a 911 call taker II referenced for 25 years of service.

The ceremony mixed formal recognitions with brief remarks from supervisors and commanders who read nominations and offered gratitude to honorees and their families. Organizers encouraged attendees to take photos and collect awards for personnel who were not present.","At a quarterly awards ceremony, the Austin Police Department recognized employees for five- to 30-year service milestones, announced multiple promotions across ranks and honored a list of retirees; Chief James Mason and Chief of Staff Robin Henderson presided over the event.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":78,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":81,"_49":92,"_51":93,"_53":94,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":95,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":96,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6694788,"Austin Police Department honors service milestones, life‑saving acts, promotions and retirements at quarterly ceremony",29415,3999695,"https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5610146-3097ad693d34a92a92eaef928008a578/thumbnail_29415.jpg","/articles/6694788/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Austin-Police-Department-honors-service-milestones-lifesaving-acts-promotions-and-retirements-at-quarterly-ceremony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6694788-c76f51a0ca896f04184ae0c35b57251f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770735457&Signature=L~pbrG9pdMFL2jxiW8CRZ6hY3PDu8zOLbwe3OAwTwWpdtzSTV-LKVJgcsT2QaVoQYdjwv8JHAFyLF7mUM0aqMXjI6g6Mh24CQ8PG63Yd6r2eEPhituZeIL0BIlZLObtEpz6tMHn9vLCS25Qn6CzVy0eb8doa~9KblNCqi-zJhOWysSb4lD3-CqEUcbw41i~~yQricFHmoYk6HblMCeY6bo8bIE5Iz8nRUYZ6~Nzyiq98WRUWfkZ6CT1jLx2tNoWMfDi2zLFslWHC4jmHYphedR-OTW3Xi5-oluCnFGGPMboixhjELilHksC0xYNJn9fzspqoRORAJDpkLyr6sIFolg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a quarterly awards and recognition ceremony, the Austin Police Department honored officers and civilian staff for service milestones, life‑saving actions, promotions and retirements, and recognized teams selected as unit-of-the-year.

The event featured opening remarks from Senior Chaplain Ken Farmer and Chief James Mason (standing in for Chief Davis), multiple presentations of service awards ranging from five to 30 years, a series of lifesaving and meritorious service citations tied to specific incidents, dozens of sworn promotions, and official retirements. Chief Mason thanked families for their support and asked attendees to drive home safely.

The ceremony highlighted several life‑saving incidents cited by nominators. Sergeant Wu described Detective Davis’s response to a Nov. 10, 2024 call in which a woman was reported to have fallen about 26 feet from a bridge; according to the nomination read at the ceremony, Detective Davis climbed down bridge supports, reached the victim who was partially submerged and bleeding, coordinated with Austin Fire Departments units and helped ensure the victim received medical care. Lieutenant David Nordstrom read a nomination for Corporal Thomas Villarreal describing an May 18, 2024 intervention at a bridge where Villarreal physically restrained a person preparing to jump, held the subject for about five minutes without immediate backup and ensured transfer to medical professionals. A nomination read by Sergeant Tim Hamby recounted Officer Riley Smith’s Feb. 15, 2025 rescue of a missing high‑risk patient from a parking garage and subsequent return to Dell Children’s Hospital for emergency detention. Other lifesaving citations recognized officers who cut a ligature and began CPR on an April 25 incident at Kintish Drive and officers who applied multiple tourniquets and pressure bandages after a trespassing subject suffered severe lacerations on March 25, 2025. These incident dates and descriptions were presented to the assembled audience as part of the award citations.

The department also marked service milestones: five‑ and 10‑year awards for civilian and communications staff; 20‑year recognitions for several detectives and officers (including members of the 01/2010 cadet class); 25‑year awards for long‑serving staff such as a police division manager in diversity, equity and inclusion and a victim services counselor; and 30‑year acknowledgments for members of the 86 cadet class. Speakers noted the collective impact of long tenures on institutional knowledge, grant procurement and community relationships.

Promotions were announced across ranks. The department listed officers promoted to corporal, sergeant, lieutenant and commander, and also noted a new monthly promotion cycle for sworn personnel. A long roster of individual names was read aloud during the ceremony for the various promoted ranks; attendees were invited to come forward for photos.

Retirements and other recognitions were part of the program. The ceremony named numerous retirees across sworn and civilian ranks and included tributes to their years of service and contributions, including references to public‑facing work, unit leadership and community engagement. The department presented unit awards as well: Edward 400s was named Patrol Unit of the Year and TAC Intel received Non‑Patrol Unit of the Year; an awards ceremony for those unit honors was announced for Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. The next quarterly awards and recognition ceremony was announced as Nov. 19, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.; a location was not specified during the event.

Chaplain Farmer opened the event with a prayer recognizing officers’ dedication and asking for their safety. Chief Mason, who delivered the ceremony’s closing remarks while standing in for Chief Davis, praised the department’s personnel and emphasized family support as central to officers’ service. \"It's nice to be able to take a step back for a couple of minutes and recognize the brave men and women that work for this Austin Police Department,\" Mason said during his remarks.

The ceremony included slides, nominators reading incident summaries for awards, and photo opportunities for honorees and attendees. Organizers asked supervisors to collect awards for employees who were not present and invited attendees to refreshments after the program.

The department‑presented accounts of the lifesaving incidents, promotion lists and retirement tributes in the ceremony were the basis for the recognitions; the article reports those accounts as presented and does not independently verify incident outcomes beyond the nominations and citations read at the event.

Ending note: the department invited the public and personnel to the Aug. 28 unit awards ceremony (6 p.m.) and scheduled the next quarterly recognition for Nov. 19, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.; the venue for that November date was not specified at the ceremony.","At a quarterly Austin Police Department awards and recognition ceremony, leaders and nominators recognized life‑saving interventions, service milestones ranging from five to 30 years, dozens of promotions, and multiple retirements; the department announced upcoming unit award and next recognition dates.","actionData","errors"]

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APD presents lifesaving and meritorious-service medals for multiple emergency responses

Austin Police Department honors employees with service milestones, promotions and retirements

Austin Police Department honors service milestones, life‑saving acts, promotions and retirements at quarterly ceremony