LIFE-SAVING HEROISM
Sheriff honors officers for ‘highest level of integrity’
Courtroom A of the Montgomery County Courthouse was filled to near capacity Monday morning as public officials joined special guests for a special commendation ceremony for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Sean Kilkenny welcomed everyone and thanked the recipients’ families for being their “ultimate support system.”
“We appreciate the sacrifices you make that allow us to perform at the highest levels of integrity and professionalism,” he said.
In all, 16 commendations were bestowed upon deputies and other first responders involved in three major incidents in 2022.
On July 4, MCSO Deputy John
Foster and Philadelphia Patrolman Sergio Diggs were grazed by stray bullets while providing security for the city’s Independence Day festivities.
Foster received a Purple Heart for injuries sustained on duty, while MCSO Dep. Jon Cagliola, MCSO Cpl. Timothy Metz, and Philadelphia Highway Patrol Officer Billy Toughill received commendations for coming to his aid following the shooting.
On Sept. 15, an explosive device unexpectedly detonated during a joint forensic blast exercise conducted by the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Bomb and Hazardous Materials Disposal Unit.
Several participants were injured, including MCSO corporals Ryan Volk, Andrew Noto, and Timothy Metz. Metz and
Noto joined Plymouth Ambulance Chief Tom Trojansky; Plymouth Ambulance Battalion Chief Matt Wells; FBI Special Agent Eric Young; FBI Special Agent Brian Corcoran, Limerick
Township Fire Marshal Shaun Semmeles; MCSO Corporal Daniel Nedzwecky; and MCSO deputies Miranda Kapusta and Zachary DeSanto in receiving com
mendations for rendering immediate aid to the injured during a still chaotic and dangerous situation.
Kilkenny offered best wishes as well as hopes for continued recovery for PSP Corporal Eric Keebaugh and FBI Special Agent Jared Whitmer, who were also injured in the blast.
Lastly, on election night, Nov. 8, MCSO deputies were first on the scene of a reported shooting at Swede and Airy streets in Norristown.
They were joined by
Norristown police in securing the scene and Deputy Cody Brockmeyer applied a tourniquet to the male victim’s leg, which was instrumental to keeping him alive until an ambulance arrived to take him to the hospital. Brockmeyer received a life-saving commendation.
“Last year was a remarkably challenging one for our office, largely due to (these) incidents,” commented Kilkenny.
“I could not be prouder of the way these recipients and their support teams banded together to render aid to their fellow officers in the midst of difficult and dangerous situations, as well as their commitment to public safety, their profession, and each other.”