Mayor Jackie Biskupski and Police Chief Mike Brown honored 26 Salt Lake City police officers and civilians for acts of bravery, sacrifice, and civic engagement during the 36th Annual Police Awards luncheon at the City Creek Marriott in Salt Lake City.
The SLCPD present the awards yearly in conjunction with National Police Week, which this year runs from May 15-21. The Rotary Club of Salt Lake City co-sponsored the event.
Karla Bartholomew, an employee with the Environmental Health Division of the Salt Lake Valley Health Department, received the inaugural Mayor’s Award, which will go annually to a civilian who supports and collaborates with police officers in their work to protect and serve the city. Karla works in the department’s water quality office and has been a one-person human biohazard clean-up force in downtown Salt Lake City.
“Karla works directly with our police to keep our downtown area clean and safe,” the Mayor said. “It’s an honor to recognize her work ethic and commitment, as well as the many others who sacrifice their own lives and safety for others without hesitation every day.”
Salt Lake City Police Officer Ben Hone received the Medal of Valor and the Chief’s Officer of the Year Award. On September 23, 2015, Officer Hone was the first responder to a burglary in Salt Lake City. He heard screams for help coming from a home nearby. After calling for backup, Officer Hone determined he couldn’t wait for fellow officers to arrive and responded to the cries. He found two women, one who had been stabbed, and a fugitive from a local halfway house, inside the home. Officer Hone shot and killed the fugitive, and the woman survived her injury. The shooting was found to be justified by the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
Other award winners included a civilian who intervened in an attempted suicide and assisted police in saving the person’s life; patrol officers who rescued a three-year-old girl last December from a raging house fire; and the Salt Lake City Patrol Bureau, which was awarded the Chief’s Unit of the Year.
Chief Brown said the ceremony once a year is an opportunity to truly reflect on the sacrifices police officers and dedicated civilians make for Salt Lake City. “Most of the time we work from case to case, call to call, without thanks or notice from those we serve. These annual awards remind us of all the good work that is done each and every day that largely goes unnoticed.”
To read full details on the 2016 Police Award Winners, please visit:
