Chief Ferraris Honors 16 from Department, Community Thu, 01/11/2018

Woodburn Police Chief Jim Ferraris honored 16 individuals at Monday’s Woodburn City Council meeting. Eight sworn officers and eight civilians were awarded medals and certificates of appreciation from the chief for a variety of lifesaving and community-minded efforts.

Officer Jorge Gaspar received the inaugural Capt. Tom Tennant Memorial Service Award. This award honors former Woodburn Capt. Tom Tennant, who was killed in the 2008 bank bombing. The award, which will be presented only once a year to a sworn member of the Woodburn Police Department, commemorates the legacy of Capt. Tennant’s contributions to the WPD and the community, and embodies the values of the WPD of Integrity, Courage, Pride, Respect, Accountability and Service.

“I have wanted to have an award to honor Capt. Tennant for a while now, to commemorate his impact on not only the police department, but the community,” Chief Ferraris said. “Jorge is a great first recipient and he really does exemplify what Capt. Tennant stood for and how he conducted himself. Officer Gaspar is worthy of this award and all it stands for.”

The family of Capt. Tennant was in attendance Monday night to witness the presentation of the award.

Officer Aaron DeVoe received the Distinguished Service Medal for his efforts in the investigation and arrest of a serial criminal who later was convicted of arson, vandalism and other crimes committed over several years.

Officer Jarrod Bowers received a Lifesaving Medal for his crisis communication skills in talking a 17-year-old boy to safety instead of jumping off the I-5 overpass in August 2017.

Officer Robert Prinslow received the Commendation Medal for his efforts in leading Love Santa, Inc., a local nonprofit that provides nearly 400 meals and Christmas gifts to local needy families.

Sgt. Colleen Altabef and Officer Zachary Williams received the Lifesaving Medal for their efforts in saving the life of an unresponsive man in May 2016 by applying CPR to revive the man.

Officers Geoffrey Carpenter and Matt Stearns received the Lifesaving Medal for their efforts in saving the life of a 22-year-old man who had overdosed on opioids in July 2017. They administered Naloxone, which counteracts the effects of an opioid overdose and applied CPR. This was the department’s first administration of Naloxone.

Officers Williams, Carpenter and Stearns received Letters of Commendation from the chief for using CPR and an automatic external defibrillator (AED) in an attempt to revive an unconscious man who stopped breathing and lost pulse after the officers arrived. Despite their best lifesaving efforts, the man later was pronounced deceased at a local hospital.

Tim Quinn, a civilian and Woodburn City employee, receive a Commendation Medal for his efforts in bringing a volunteer handicapped parking idea to the department. The idea took life and was commissioned by the City Council and Tim is one of its volunteer members.

Retired Fire Chief Paul Iverson and Woodburn Ambulance Services owner Shawn Baird received Certificates of Appreciation for the helping to acquire Naloxone for the Woodburn Police Department and establish training for Woodburn police officers on the use of Naloxone.

Ewart Brown and Paul Bickmore received Certificates of Appreciation for their work in forming the Community Connections Day in the Safeway parking lot, which showcased community and emergency services in the Woodburn area.

Al Herriges, Eric Swenson and Rhonda Judson received Certificates of Appreciation for their efforts in fundraising to furnish each Woodburn police vehicle with an AED. The fundraising campaign raised over $11,000 courtesy of the Pamplin Media Group, Woodburn Proud and other local businesses and individuals.

“The actions and contributions of these officers and community members paints a clear picture of how great Woodburn is,” Chief Ferraris said. “Our officers are top notch professionals and our community members and businesses care deeply for our department and the residents of this City. We would not be successful without these partnerships.”