Henderson Police Department presents annual commendations

Henderson police officer Nickolas Stier, a seven-year veteran of the force, responded to a July 11 call from Sunset Station to assist a woman who had collapsed. When he arrived, the woman was unconscious and not breathing because of cardiac arrest.

An automated external defibrillator already had been applied by the property’s security, but it had failed to administer a shock. Stier performed CPR until paramedics arrived. According to the Police Department, “his actions were largely responsible for the return of spontaneous pulse of this patient. If Officer Stier had not reacted quickly and calmly in this situation to save the life of an unconscious person who was not breathing, she may have succumbed to her health issue.”

For his actions, Stier was awarded the department’s Life-Saving Award for 2013 during the Henderson Police Department’s annual commendation ceremony on March 6 at the Henderson Convention Center.

Stier was one of 34 officers, civilian employees and members of the community to receive honors.

“It takes a special kind of person — a person of character, with compassion and courage — to put the needs of the community ahead of their own,” Police Chief Patrick Moers said. “The folks we honored during the commendation ceremony have shown they are that type of person.”

While Stier was honored for helping save a life, seven officers were honored for their actions while their lives were in danger.

On Aug. 20, officer Trish Longworth was sitting at the intersection of Boulder Highway and College Drive when Edward John Scheboth, 68, began firing into her patrol car.

Longworth, who at first thought the gunshots were firecrackers, pulled forward after the back window of her car was shattered and called for backup.

“She quickly moved out of the direct line of fire, simultaneously communicating the suspect’s location, description and actions,” her commendation read.

Fellow officers Achmin Brunette, JJ Dunn, Robert Honea, David Linden and Travis Nusbaum responded to the scene, “without hesitation, quickly and intentionally placing themselves in harm’s way, approaching and engaging the suspect and stopping his hostile actions.”

Scheboth was wounded and died later at the hospital.

The officers responding to the early morning scene were able to provide “a safe ingress for paramedics, establishing a secure perimeter, quickly identifying the numerous witnesses, and locating key pieces of evidence,” the department said. “Their response was more remarkable because it was the first day the shift had worked together, with several officers not familiar with one another, yet working together as an effective team.”

The six were awarded the department’s Valorous Conduct Award.

Also receiving the award was officer Jarrod DeAngelis for saving the life of a suspect three days later. He responded to a call about a man with a gun trying to gain entrance to a residence. After arriving to the area and locating the subject, who was armed with a cocked revolver in his waistband, DeAngelis was able to disarm and subdue the man, “but not before sustaining personal injury,” according to the commendation.

“Officer DeAngelis showed incredible courage and outstanding decision-making when confronting an armed subject by himself. The suspect in this incident is a convicted felon with a long history of drug use and violence, and during this incident he was again under the influence of illegal narcotics. Officer DeAngelis’ decisive actions in this incident saved the life of the suspect at great personal risk.”