More than 100 officers and civilians awarded for life-saving acts, outstanding service and more
The Henderson Police Department (HPD) awarded more than 100 Henderson police officers and civilians for going above and beyond the call of duty during HPD’s annual awards ceremony Thursday, March 31 – the first in-person ceremony since 2019.
Henderson Chief of Police Thedrick Andres presented awards to HPD police officers and recognized civilian efforts from 2020 and 2021 throughout the ceremony. Recognitions included Officer of the Year, Life-Saving Awards, Unit Citations, Exemplary Service, Distinguished Service and more.
“Our annual awards ceremony celebrates and acknowledges the incredible acts of service our officers have shown throughout our community,” said Chief Andres. “I am so proud of each of our officers and civilian partners for positively impacting the lives of our community members as it is a true testament to our vision of being America’s premier policing agency.”
The following are a few highlights of the officers and civilians awarded during the ceremony:
Officer of the Year | Officer Sterling Candland
Officer Candland is assigned to work with Henderson’s vulnerable population, specifically the homeless. In the last year, Officer Candland has made positive impacts and worked tirelessly to secure housing for 17 homeless individuals.
Officer Candland continuously goes above and beyond his call of duty and, on several occasions, spends his own money to help homeless subjects obtain the resources needed to find housing, food and more.
In particular, Officer Candland assisted a homeless person for six months to ensure she was in a safe and housed environment. He later helped reunite her with her family for permanent living.
Life-Saving Award | Officer Eric Bohn
Officer Eric Bohn jumped into action to save the life of a male suffering cardiac arrest inside a business in December 2021. Before paramedic arrival, Officers Bohn performed CPR to try and resuscitate the victim.
When Henderson Fire Department arrived, the officer continued chest compressions for approximately nine minutes to support the firefighters and paramedics, who continued additional live-saving support measures for the victim.
According to HFD, the quick recognition of cardiac arrest and compressions performed by Officer Bohn are unmatched and were why the male victim survived with a high quality of life.
Life-Saving Award | Officer Andrew Avanessian
On Nov. 11, 2021, Officer Avanessian was dispatched to a casino parking lot in response to an unresponsive female found locked in her vehicle. Recognizing a possible overdose, Officer Avanessian immediately breached the driver side window to extricate the female who was experiencing slow and shallow breathing.
His quick actions to administer Narcan Nasal Spray saved the female’s life and allowed enough time for advanced life support to arrive and continue pre-hospital care.
Citizen Distinguished Service Award | Rochelle Fletcher
Rochelle Fletcher, a City of Henderson employee, continues to provide outstanding support to HPD and the vulnerable population within Henderson. Fletcher has established valuable relationships with non-profit and government organizations to help provide resources needed to support vulnerable individuals. Her efforts have resulted in successful housing for 17 vulnerable individuals.
Fletcher’s dedication and work ethic helped generate numerous success stories by providing housing and resources to those who need it the most.
For more information about the Henderson Police Department, visit cityofhenderson.com.
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