Metro’s finest are honored

Thursday, July 12, 2001 | 10:55 a.m.

A Metro Police SWAT officer shot in April while trying to free a woman held hostage by her boyfriend has received the department's Purple Heart award.

Eleven other officers and civilian employees were also given awards during a ceremony Wednesday.

Officer Mark Fowler was one of the SWAT officers who went inside a home on Torrey Pines Drive after hearing several shots fired and a woman scream. Emit Rice fired several shots at the officers, hitting Fowler in the leg and chest. Fowler was wearing his bullet-resistant vest, which stopped the bullet that hit him in the chest.

"He is the kind of guy who is willing to put himself into a dangerous situation without thinking about the danger to himself to help save someone," Sheriff Jerry Keller said after the ceremony.

The woman was later released after a standoff and Rice shot himself and later died at University Medical Center.

Eight officers were given the Lifesaving Service Award for their actions in several incidents.

Officers Cory Estes, David Freeman and Michael Lardomita pulled a passenger from a sport utility vehicle after an April 13 crash on Needles Highway in Laughlin, fearing the leaking gasoline would ignite.

Officer Won Cho was given the award for administering medical aid to Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Bobby Kintzel, who was struck by a car driven by a man fleeing from police on April 21. Kintzel is recovering in a rehabilitation hospital.

Officer Salvatore Mascoli was given the award for pulling a woman off a ledge on Oct. 24 at the Southwest Medical Center.

Officer Doreen Walton was given the award for running into a home that was on fire on March 14 and pulling an 8-year-old boy and an elderly woman from the home.

Corrections Sgt. Frank Reagan and Corrections Officer David Devaney were given the award for performing chest compressions on an inmate at the Clark County jail who had hanged himself on March 10 and had no pulse. The inmate began coughing after six to 10 compressions and was taken to University Medical Center, where he recovered.

Two communications specialists were given the Exemplary Service Award for their work when officers were shot on Jan. 28. Rochelle Nelson and Tina Sobosle remained calm and coordinated the efforts of many officers after two officers were shot. Both officers survived their wounds.

Sgt. Tom Wagner was given the Community Service Award for his work in planning, developing and implementing a motorcycle run through the nonprofit organization Police Officers Riding for Kids (PORK).