Police Heroes
Police heroes come in many forms. On the Police Heroes topic page, we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the mission to protect their communities.
With fire trucks miles away, the officers are thrust into a race against time, making life-or-death decisions with split-second precision
On Sept. 11, 2001, Dave Gallart was a 37-year-old father of two, assigned to the NYPD’s Highway Patrol; this is his story of survival on that nightmarish morning
Thirty-seven Port Authority Police officers and K-9 Sirius died during the attacks on the World Trade Center; Lt. David Lim was one of 14 who survived the collapse of the North Tower in stairwell B
The couple was in the process of finalizing the adoption of their 8-year-old daughter when they received a call about an abandoned baby
The rescue happened more than seven hours after the man “split from another hunter he had been with” and vanished into the swamp
The department set up a trust fund to provide assistance with medical bills, groceries and other necessities for the couple and their two boys
Barely 20 seconds after the second officer was safely off the tracks, a train roared into the station at normal speed
“Multiple officers deployed water rescue kits while two officers swam to save the drowning child and the adult female who were in the water.”
“It was incredibly uplifting to hear Sgt. Haas’ first words to the person he pulled from danger – ‘I love you.’’'
Christopher Taylor, 23, joined the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office in August 2021
The officer was traveling on his motorcycle when a vehicle entered the roadway from a parking lot, causing his motorcycle to collide with the car
During the attack, Rich Fierro grasped the gunman’s body armor, yanked him down and yelled at another patron to move the rifle out of reach
The 17-year-old assisted with putting a tourniquet on the officer after he ran to her car for help, as well as providing information to dispatchers on his radio
Linda Messo had just finished a CPR refresher course when she saw Michael Cacciopolli, who vomited and fell unconscious
Katie Thyne, 24, was the first Newport News officer killed in the line of duty in 25 years
The guards entered “survival mode,” tackling the man to the ground after the suspect fired a shot at the wall
When the St. Louis County firefighter, driver and truck went underwater, Officers Don Shultz and Victoria Sarver got in the water to help with the rescue
Trooper Toni Schuck struck the drunk driver’s vehicle, which was traveling over 100 mph, in an effort to save nearby road race runners
Tom DiSario plans to file a suit against his HOA, promising that “every officer in the state of Ohio … will be able to fly this flag without any HOA telling them to take it down”
Three officers were killed after a man with a rifle opened fire on police attempting to serve a warrant in June
The truck crashed into Deputy Joel Baker’s car after being unable to stop in time for a red light
Brandon Paul Tsai lost control of his cruiser and struck a light pole while trying to stop a car with a fake paper license plate
Paul Jamolawicz, 61, was awarded three commendations and seven Excellent Police Service Awards during his tenure
Deputy Chris Mobley was on his way home when he saw a man dive out of a moving van; Mobley tried to help the man, who later stole his gun and threatened to kill himself
The execution-style killing of Minneapolis police officer Jerry Haaf was one of the most shocking murders in city history
A spate of recent kudos has shined a spotlight on the efforts of LEOs to serve their community
The SRO was driving to work when he heard a call over the radio about a man driving the wrong way at high speeds
“Some rounds were fired in my direction, one went through the windshield and grazed the top of my head, entered the front part of my skull and exited the back of it,” the officer explained
The 14-year-old was driving the car of a 71-year-old man found slain in his home
The book details what it is like to manage life and death situations and the toll it takes on cops like Minneapolis officer Donnell Crayton
“My first thought was … just to try to get some sort of breath into him, just try to stabilize him until EMS comes,” Officer Carson Yates said
Lt. Joseph Fix credits his time in the military as an Army Ranger and police SWAT training for his ability to remain calm and focused
The officer quickly began chest compressions and then back thrusts on the baby girl before EMS arrived, causing her to breathe again
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