TFH 2/13: Police Officer Thomas D. Richards

The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor was created early last decade to recognize first responders who exhibit courage above and beyond the call of duty.

The recipient list for the award brings us just such a story from this day in 2004. On Feburary 13, 2004, fire fighters and emergency medical personnel responded to a woman having been shot. When they arrived on the scene, they came under fire from the assailant. They were saved by Police Officer Thomas D. Richards.



From Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Citations for 2003-2004:

Officer Thomas D. Richards, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Division of Police, Lexington, KY: On February 13, 2004, police, fire, and emergency services were dispatched to assist a woman lying outside with gunshot wounds to the head. The suspect, concealed inside the house, began to shoot at the team of public safety officers assembled. Six of the fire and emergency services team were pinned down by the suspect and two were shot (one was fatal). Officer Richards, noticing that the firefighters were unable to move to safe positions, drove his police cruiser directly into the line of fire, in an attempt to shield the wounded firefighters from the assailant's shots. The suspect fired again, shattering the cruiser's window, narrowly missing Officer Richards. The suspect then ceased firing, but Officer Richards remained with the firefighters until they could be safely evacuated by a police extraction team.

You can read more about the award and the brave men and women who have been decorated with it at the official site.