The Honolulu Police Department’s highest honor was presented last week to officer Joseph Pagan, a 16-year veteran, for his quick response in pursuing and shooting an armed suspect fleeing from police in the Kalihi business district last year.
Pagan, of the Kalihi District’s Crime Reduction Unit, was one of several officers who responded to a report of an armed man breaking into a car at a Dillingham Boulevard parking lot on Feb. 22, 2011.
Police located the suspect on the second floor of a nearby warehouse. Pagan and officer Henry Robinson Jr. were the first to confront the man.
When he refused Pagan’s orders to put his hands up and instead opened fire at the two officers, Pagan returned fire and struck the suspect once.
Despite being shot, the suspect resisted arrest and several officers were required to restrain him. Awarded the Bronze Medal of Valor for their roles in the incident were Robinson, officer Joshua Tavares and Cpl. Sean Nahina. Officers Keoni Smith and Shari Tallinger received certificates of merit.
The Civilian Medal of Honor was presented by Chief Louis Kealoha to Joshua Riley, who was one of three men who were in their Punahou Street apartment when they heard a woman outside screaming for help on Dec. 7.
When the three men saw a man attacking the woman, they yelled for the suspect to stop. When the man failed to do so, Riley grabbed him off the victim and caught him when he tried to run away. Danny Garbe and Noel Krasomil called 911 and tended to the victim and, for their roles, were awarded certificates of merit.
Silver Medals of Valor were presented to Cpls. Robert Dalbec and Jeffrey Llacuna, two experienced bomb technicians who were instrumental in planning and carrying out the recovery operation in a Waikele cave after five men were killed in a fireworks explosion on April 8, 2011.
Officer Marc Cobb-Adams was awarded the Silver Medal of Valor and officer Christian Sahlen received the Bronze Medal of Valor for their actions in rescuing a man from a seventh-floor fire in a Waikiki apartment on Sept. 11 and then helping put it out.
Others honored by Kealoha with certificates of merit were U.S. Marine Cpl. Joseph Honan, Lance Cpl. Matthew Roach, civilian Philip Butay, and officers Jayme Daszek and Douglas Kamai. Also awarded letters of commendation were Cpls. Edward Iona, Ross Keliikipi and Nathan Santos.
Lt. Randolph Luna of the narcotics/vice division was named HPD’s employee of the quarter. The Wahiawa Crime Reduction Unit was named unit of the quarter.
