Legion post honors four Pullman officers

The Maynard-Price American Legion Post 52 Commander Ted Weatherly presented awards to four Pullman Police staff during the Feb. 2 Pullman city council meeting.

Sgt. Jake Opgenorth received the “Law Enforcement Officer of the Year” Award. As the detective supervisor, Sgt. Opgenorth is responsible for direction and oversight of major criminal investigations.

Officers Michael Crow and Aaron Breshears received the Humanitarian Award for their judgment and actions during the pursuit and capture of a mass shooting suspect fleeing from Moscow in January 2015.

Officer Crow located the suspect vehicle entering Pullman and followed the vehicle through downtown, choosing to wait for a safer location to attempt apprehension.

With the assistance of Officer Breshears, the officers chased the suspect at high speeds when he failed to stop for the officers.

After a 22 minute chase, the suspect lost control of his vehicle and was ultimately apprehended without further incident south of Steptoe.

Crow and Breshears have been police officers for more than 17 years.

Records specialist Joshua Sanders received the Lifesaving Award for alerting officers to an arrestee who appeared to be attempting to hang himself in a holding cell. Officers responded to the cell and removed the shirt from the subject's neck.

Anderson also received an official commendation from Police Chief Gary Jenkins at the Dec. 14 Police Advisory Committee meeting.