SD Police Chiefs’ Association Presents 2015 Awards The South Dakota Police Chiefs’ Association presented the following awards during the annual banquet at the joint Chiefs’ and Sheriffs’ Spring Training held in Deadwood on April 23, 2015. Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor award is for members who willingly distinguish themselves through an act of courage, involving a risk of imminent serious injury or death, for the purpose of saving or protecting a human life or while taking an armed and immediately dangerous suspect into custody. The Medal of Honor award is an award given jointly by the South Dakota Police Chiefs’ Association and the South Dakota Sheriffs’ Association. The 2015 Medal of Honor award was presented to Deputy Lester Plank from the Brule County Sheriffs’ Office. The incident surrounding the award given to Deputy Plank was summarized in the nomination form as follows: “On 1/7/15 near Kimball, SD an armed man by the name of Donald London was shooting his assault rifle at two Highway Patrol Officers. Donald shot one of the troopers, Sergeant John Koenig and had the other pinned down by gunfire in a near building. Sergeant Koenig was laying on the frozen ground calling for help, when Deputy Plank jumped in his vehicle and raced down the driveway towards the gunman’s direction. Deputy Plank grabbed Sergeant Koenig and put him into the passenger seat. Deputy Plank had his truck positioned for cover for Trooper Adam Woxland to jump in as well. Deputy Plank rushed them to safety, risking taking on fire from the armed suspect. Sergeant Koenig managed to board the ambulance and get to a nearby hospital in a timely manner. Deputy Plank is a hero and a man of honor for what he did on that fateful day.”
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Back row (l to r): Chamberlain Police Chief Joe Hutmacher, Brule County Sheriff Darrell Miller, Lyman County Sheriff Steve Manger and Sergeant John Koenig from SD Highway Patrol. Front row: Janet Plank and Brule County Sheriffs’ Office Deputy Lester Plank. Lyman County Sheriff Steve Manger as well as Sergeant John Koenig from the SD Highway Patrol were also in attendance and gave their personal accounts of the incident that led to the injury of Sergeant John Koenig and the rescue of Koenig by Deputy Plank. Both Koenig and Manger acknowledged Plank’s actions and thanked him for his selfless act of heroism. Chief John Wainman, Sr. Service Award The Chief John Wainman, Sr. Service Award is for contributions by a member of the SDPCA which exceed the high standards and contributions normally made by members. Sturgis Chief Jim Bush received the Chief John Wainman, Sr. Service Award. The following is from the presentation of award.
SOUTH DAKOTA MUNICIPALITIES
