January 1, 2010

Bulletin Notes

Law enforcement officers are challenged daily in the performance of their duties; they face each challenge freely and unselfishly while answering the call to duty. In certain instances, their actions warrant special attention from their respective departments. The Bulletin also wants to recognize those situations that transcend the normal rigors of the law enforcement profession. 

Sergeant Tim Jones of the McMinnville, Tennessee, Police Department responded to the scene of a second-story apartment fire. Upon his arrival, he noticed a man in the parking lot screaming that his two babies were in the apartment. Sergeant Jones ran to the top of the stairs and found the front door open and intense flames and thick black smoke inside. Quickly, he got on his hands and knees and crawled down the hallway where he found a 3-year-old girl lying on the floor. He then helped her outside. Officer Bryan Emery crawled into the apartment and found his way to a bedroom where his flashlight illuminated a small pink blanket on a bed. Frantically, he sifted through the bedclothes trying to locate an infant until breathing became virtually impossible. After he exited the apartment for a breath of fresh air, Officer Emery tried to reenter with Sergeant Jones, but they were directed not to reenter because firefighters now were on the scene. Recognizing that seconds were precious to the 3-year-old girl, Lieutenant Mark Mara began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while Officer Emery performed chest compressions. Tragically, neither child survived. 


Sergeant Tim Jones, Officer Bryan Emery, and Lieutenant Mark Mara of the McMinnville, Tennessee Police Department bravely attempted to rescue two young girls who ultimately perished in an apartment fire. Jones was a Bulletin Notes recipient in January 2010.

Sergeant Jones

Sergeant Tim Jones, Officer Bryan Emery, and Lieutenant Mark Mara of the McMinnville, Tennessee Police Department bravely attempted to rescue two young girls who ultimately perished in an apartment fire. Emery was a Bulletin Notes recipient in January 2010.

Officer Emery

Sergeant Tim Jones, Officer Bryan Emery, and Lieutenant Mark Mara of the McMinnville, Tennessee Police Department bravely attempted to rescue two young girls who ultimately perished in an apartment fire. Mara was a Bulletin Notes recipient in January 2010.

Lieutenant Mara

Deputy Tim Keen of the Hinds County, Mississippi Sheriff’s Department broke through the window of a bedroom to rescue a woman from a home fire. Keen was a Bulletin Notes recipient in January 2010.

Deputy Keen

Deputy Tim Keen of the Hinds County, Mississippi, Sheriff’s Department was the first to respond to an early morning home fire. A male resident of the trailer alerted him that a woman was trapped in a bedroom. Deputy Keen broke through the window of the bedroom and felt his way through thick smoke to find the victim on the floor. Immediately, he picked her up and pulled her outside to safety. Both Deputy Keen and the woman received medical treatment.

The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin seeks nominations for the Bulletin Notes. Nominations should be based on either the rescue of one or more citizens or arrest(s) made at unusual risk to an officer’s safety. Submissions should include a short write-up (maximum of 250 words), a separate photograph of each nominee, and a letter from the department’s ranking officer endorsing the nomination. Submissions should be sent to the Editor, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, FBI Academy, Law Enforcement Communication Unit, Hall of Honor, Quantico, VA 22135.