Other LanguagesOLYMPIA—The Washington State Law Enforcement Medal of Honor/Peace Officers Memorial Ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. today in Olympia. The ceremony will be webcast via TVW as well.
Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson will award law enforcement officers with Washington state’s highest law enforcement award: The Medal of Honor. The medal is given to officers who made the ultimate sacrifice or who have displayed exceptionally meritorious conduct.
• WHAT: Law Enforcement Medal of Honor
• WHEN: 1 p.m. Friday, May 3, 2013
• WHERE: Law Enforcement Memorial on the Capital Campus in Olympia
• DETAILS: The ceremony is open to the public but space is limited.
The ceremony will honor the following law enforcement officers:
For Posthumous Service:
• U.S. Park Ranger Margaret Anderson, Mount Rainier National Park. On Jan. 1, 2012, Anderson was working at Mount Rainier National Park when she was shot and killed by a fleeing suspect. Anderson had set up a road block to stop the suspect who, unknown to officers was wanted for wounding four individuals the previous day. Anderson had served with the National Park Service for more than 12 years.
For Serious Injury:
• Deputy Michael A. Northway and Deputy Joseph M. Spink, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. On June 19, 2012, Northway and Spink were making a traffic stop for an uncover unit when both deputies were fired upon by a passenger exiting the vehicle, who was a federal fugitive. Northway was struck in both arms and both legs. Spink was struck in one leg. Both Northway and Spink were able to return fire causing the suspect to flee on foot. Both have served more than 12 years with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
For Meritorious Conduct:
• Officer Ryan Moody and Officer Jon Waller, Lakewood Police Department. On Dec. 9, 2012, Moody and Waller working together spotted a stolen vehicle. When they attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled at a high rate of speed onto an interstate highway. When it appeared the vehicle was stopping upon exiting the highway, Moody attempted to pin the stolen vehicle’s door with his patrol vehicle. However, the driver reversed the vehicle trapping Officer Waller in the patrol vehicle front passenger seat. The driver then started shooting at both officers with a handgun. Both officers returned fire, killing the driver, who was found to be wearing several layers of body armor and having made prior statements concerning “suicide by cop”. Neither officer was wounded. Moody has served more than seven years and Waller more than eight with the Lakewood Police Department.
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Contacts: Janelle Guthrie, Communications Director, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, 360-586-0725