Medal of Honor awarded to five Metro Police officers

Friday, June 21, 2002 | 9:14 a.m.

Five Metro Police officers were awarded the department's second highest honor during a commendation ceremony Thursday that also recognized 24 other officers and three civilian employees.

Sheriff Jerry Keller awarded the Medal of Honor to five gang detectives for their actions last June while confronting a murder suspect who was holding a gun on his girlfriend.

Detectives Eric Collins, Charles Whitney, Carlos Acosta, Antonio Morales and Damian Walburn entered a home in the 2200 block of Tam Drive about 3 a.m. on June 2 and found Jeffrey Brian Canterbury and the girl in a back bedroom. Police said Canterbury threatened to kill the girl. Acosta and Walburn fired, killing the suspect.

The shooting was later ruled justified by a Clark County coroner's inquest.

The Meritorious Service Award was given to 16 officers and three civilian employees for their efforts during a June 2001 kidnapping and pursuit of the suspect. Those awarded were: Lt. Al Salinas, Sgts. Gawain Guedry, Gayland Hammack and Greg Schultz and Officers Angela Cook, Adrian Beas, Ken Mead, Michael Twomey-Walsh, Kevin Ploense, James Seebock, Eric Kerns, Michael Yu, Dave Bassler, Michael Mitchell, Travis Ivie and Leonard Lorusso.

Communication Specialist Janis Gemma, Dispatch Specialist Juane Arrington and 911 Specialist Joey DeLugo were also honored.

The Meritorious Service Award was also given to Deputy Chief Ray Flynn and Officer Todd Rosenberg for delivering more than $2 million in donations raised by Metro for the families of the police and firefighters killed in the World Trade Center attacks and those working at ground zero.

Corrections Sgt. Richard Scobie was given the Meritorious Service Award for taking leave after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and assisting in the rescue efforts at the World Trade Center. He is a New York native.

Five officers were honored with the Life Saving Award for their efforts in three separate incidents.

Corrections Sgt. Gary Driscoll and Corrections Officer Ray Bingaman were recognized for trying to revive an inmate who went into cardiac arrest in the Clark County jail's medical section.

Officers Paul Lourenco and Jeremy C. Hendricks were awarded the commendation for their efforts in saving a small child choking in a restaurant. The officers, who were off duty, saw a woman screaming and found her child was choking. The officers were able to save the child.

Officer Michael Lardomita was commended for his efforts in saving a man attempting to commit suicide by sitting in a running car in his garage. Lardomita kicked in the garage's side door and pulled the unconscious man from the car.