ANNAPOLIS (May 4, 2010) – Several local Maryland Natural Resources Police personnel were honored at a ceremony on April 28. The event was held at Calvary United Methodist Church in Annapolis.
Officer First Class Timothy Kraemer, of Great Mills, was named the NRP Officer of the Year.
Sergeant John Bailey, of Mechanicsville, was awarded the Conservation Officer of the Year.
Sgt. Jack Bailey, of Mechanicsville, Cpl. Brain Rathgeb, of Dunkirk, and Cpl. David Bailey, of Leonardtown, received Superintendents Commendations for outstanding performance and dedication above and beyond the call of duty in a specific situation or incident.
The Award of Valor was presented to Officer First Class Timothy Pheabus, of Hampsted, for saving a life in southern Maryland.
On July 14, 2009, Officer First Class Pheabus was attempting an arrest when the subject fled. The subject was pursued onto the Route 231 Bridge over the Patuxent River near Benedict. The subject stopped just over the main span of the bridge, stated that he was going to kill himself and proceeded to jump over the side of the bridge. Officer First Class Pheabus was able to grab the subject, who was suspended over the side of the bridge, until an off-duty State Trooper stopped to assist him to pull the subject back onto the bridge.
Dignitaries in attendance at the ceremony included DNR Secretary John Griffin, NRP Superintendent Col. George F. Johnson IV and NRP Deputy Superintendent Lt. Col. Alphonso W. Hawkins. Also attending was Maryland Park Service Superintendent Nita Settina and MPS Deputy Superintendent Chris Bushman. NRP Captain Robert Davis served as emcee for the evening and NRP Lt. Joe Offer gave the invocation and benediction.