September 1, 2011

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. 

While on routine patrol, Deputy Jason Katers of the Brown County, Wisconsin, Sheriff’s Office noticed a large amount of heavy smoke in the air. He tracked the source of the smoke to an attached garage of a residence. He immediately reported the structure fire and approached the front door, where he discovered one of the residents—an elderly woman—confused and disoriented. After Deputy Katers assisted her from the house and brought her to a safe area, he learned that two more occupants remained inside. As the structure rapidly filled with heavy smoke and it became difficult for Deputy Katers to breathe, he reentered the house twice to locate each of the residents, who had become similarly disoriented due to smoke inhalation. Katers escorted both of them to safety, and his swift actions likely saved the occupants’ lives and mitigated the severity of the property loss. 

Deputy Jason Katers of the Brown County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office safely evacuated three residents from a home on fire. Katers was a Bulletin Notes recipient in September 2011.

  Deputy Katers

Officers Cody Becker and Edward Pague of the Northern York County, Pennsylvania Regional Police Department rescued a mother and her three children who were trapped in their third-floor apartment as the building burned beneath them. Becker was a Bulletin Notes recipient in September 2011.

  Officer Becker

Officers Cody Becker and Edward Pague of the Northern York County, Pennsylvania Regional Police Department rescued a mother and her three children who were trapped in their third-floor apartment as the building burned beneath them. Pague was a Bulletin Notes recipient in September 2011.

  Officer Pague

Officers Cody Becker and Edward Pague of the Northern York County, Pennsylvania, Regional Police Department responded to a structure fire at an apartment building. Upon arrival at the scene, the officers determined that a mother and her three children were trapped in their third-floor apartment as the building burned beneath them. The officers immediately took action. Officer Pague helped Officer Becker climb to the second-floor balcony, and the mother passed down her three children, ages 3 months to 6 years, to him. Officer Becker moved the children safely to Officer Pague on the ground below and then helped the mother descend from the balcony. Thanks to the timely and heroic efforts of these officers, the family survived without injury.

Nominations for the Bulletin Notes 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 can be mailed to the Editor, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, FBI Academy, Quantico, VA 22135 or e-mailed to leb@fbiacademy.edu.