Photo: From left to right after man wearing gray suit: Trooper Milich, PFC Nauman, PFC Bottorf, Officer Hamilton. Not pictured is Cpl. Saunders and Detective Harris.
WALDORF, Md. – Charles County Sheriff Troy D. Berry is pleased to announce four CCSO officers, along with a Maryland State Police Trooper, were the recent recipients of valor awards and outstanding performance awards by ASIS – an international organization that promotes excellence and leadership in the security management profession.
Charles County Sheriff’s Officer Lamar Hamilton, Corporal William Saunders, PFC Justin Bottorf, and Maryland State Police Trooper Matthew Milich were presented the Valor Award for rescuing five people from a fiery car crash on September 2, 2016. The driver of a passenger vehicle was traveling southbound on St. Charles Parkway when he lost control of the car and struck a tree. The vehicle burst into flames. One passenger was ejected and the driver, who had a fractured leg, was dragged to safety by an officer. The other officers rescued two toddlers and another adult who were still inside the burning car. The heroic actions and bravery of the officers helped save the lives of the occupants.
Detective Cheyann Harris of the Narcotics Enforcement Section was awarded the Exceptional Performance Award for her tenacity and hard work investigating an opioid-related fatal overdose. Detective Harris’ thorough investigation led to the first conviction in Charles County for manslaughter as it relates to opioids.
“It’s nice when outside agencies recognize the work of our officers. I am proud of everyone who received an award as their actions and work made a significant difference for others,” said Sheriff Berry.
Not pictured is Detective Harris
Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency comprised of more than 600 police, corrections and civilian personnel responsible for protecting more than 150,000 residents. The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2001 has been designated as a CALEA Gold Standard of Excellence agency since 2011. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.