Members of Newport Beach Police Force Honored for Excellence

It was a morning of appreciation and accolades for members of the Newport Beach police force honored today at the 41st annual Police Appreciation Breakfast.

Held at the Newport Beach Hyatt Regency Hotel, the event recognized several members of the department for excelling on the job.

• Award of Merit:  Sergeant Steve Burdette, Officer Monica Aguilar, Officer Randy Querry, Officer Randy Lawton and Detective Pete Carpentieri received the Award of Merit for saving the life of a barricaded man who was trying to harm himself. While officers were developing a tactical plan, the subject grabbed a large knife and began hurting himself. Officers quickly restrained the man and administered first aid thereby saving his life.

• Lifesaving Award: Officer Ryan Bean received the award for saving a and was possibly suicidal. Officer Bean used investigative skills and with the assistance of the Costa Mesa Police Department, located the missing woman unconscious but breathing at a Costa Mesa Motel. The woman was resuscitated and taken to Hoag Hospital where she recovered from her injuries.

• Lifesaving Award: Lieutenant Jeff Brouwer, Officer Shawn Preasmyer,
  Officer Neal Schuster and Officer Adam Gilbert received the Lifesaving Award for saving the life of a suicidal woman. Responding officers found the woman in a locked garage where she was attempting to take her life through Carbon Dioxide poisoning. Kathy Lowe, police spokeswoman, said without regard for their safety, the officers went into the poisonous environment, mitigated the affects, and initiated first aid on the barely breathing victim. They continued their lifesaving efforts and assisted Newport Beach Fire Department paramedics in transporting the victim to Hoag Hospital where she made a full recovery.

• Lifesaving Award: Sergeant Corey Wolik, Officer Pete Carpentieri, Officer John Mika, Officer Anthony Yim and Officer Robert Hufford received the Lifesaving Award for saving the life of a suicidal man who had barricaded himself in a residence while armed with a knife. Lowe said officers found the man suffering from self-inflicted stab wounds and immediately initiated first aid and with the assistance of the Newport Beach Fire Department paramedics. The man was transported to the hospital where he survived his injuries.

• Lifesaving Award: Officer Neal Schuster and Officer Andrew Sarega received the Lifesaving Award for heroic actions while attempting to save the life of a drowning victim. The pair responded to a call of a drowning woman at a hotel and immediately found the woman on the bottom of the pool. The officers recovered the woman from the bottom of the pool and together performed CPR in an attempt to resuscitate the victim. "The victim was transported to the hospital by the Newport Beach Fire Department paramedics but tragically, did not survive," Lowe said.

• Lifesaving Award: Custodial Officer Tim Stewart, Custodial Officer Troy Long and Custodial Officer Daran Kanbara received the Lifesaving Award for saving the life of an arrestee in the jail who was attempting to hang himself inside his cell. They immediately responded, negotiated with the suicidal subject, and safely restrained him until he could be evaluated by mental health officials, Lowe said.

• Officer of the Year: Officer William Hume

• Supervisor of the Year: Sergeant Joseph Short

• Civilian of the Year: Crime Prevention Specialist Kathy Lowe

• Reserve Officer of the Year: Reserve Officer George “Chip” Cuthbert

• Volunteer of the Year: Volunteer Joel Gerson

In addition to the awards, Senior Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy, Senior Investigators Susan Frazier and Larry Montgomery and Paralegal Dena Basham  of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office were recognized for the prosecution of a 17-year-old homicide case.