Salem Police Officers Honored

One officer rushed a murder suspect by ramming his car, the other prevented a woman from leaping to her death.

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Salem Police Department has announced that Sergeant James Miller and Sergeant Shawn Adams were recently recognized by the Oregon Peace Officers Association for acts of heroism and bravery in the line of duty.

They were recognized at the Oregon Peace Officers Association annual awards banquet on November 16th in Newport. Sergeant Miller received the Medal of Valor and Sergeant Adams received the Lifesaving Award.

Sergeant Miller was recognized for his actions on November 29th 2005. During that incident, the vehicle belonging to a homicide suspect from the state of Washington was located in a motel parking lot in Salem. The suspect had brutally murdered a mother and had seriously wounded the father as the children watched and then fled the area with multiple firearms.

As officers were trying to determine in what room the suspect staying, Sgt Miller was watching the vehicle to make sure the suspect did not leave the area. The suspect suddenly emerged, got into his vehicle and started to pull out of parking lot. Sgt Miller realized the extreme danger that this suspect posed to the public if he were to escape the area, so he made the split-second decision to ram the suspect's vehicle in order to keep him from escaping.

Sgt Miller skillfully rammed the suspect vehicle, pushing it back into a parking space and effectively blocking it from moving further. This tactic also sufficiently stunned the suspect and allowed officers to converge on him and take him into custody without any further use of force.

The suspect had a loaded 9mm handgun in the waistband of his pants when he was taken into custody, and there is no doubt that Sgt Miller's quick and decisive actions disoriented the suspect enough that he did not have the opportunity to try and get to his gun and use it against the officers. Sgt Miller put himself at considerable personal risk during this incident, but his actions most certainly allowed the suspect to be taken into custody before he could commit further acts of violence in our community.

Sergeant Adams was recognized for his actions on the afternoon of June 17th 2007. Sgt Adams was a Corporal at the time and responded to a report of a female who was sitting on the ledge of the third level of the parking structure at the Salem Hospital. The woman was despondent and was threatening to jump to her death and was trying to work up the courage to complete the act.

Upon Sgt Adams' arrival he noted that the female was agitated and nervous because a security guard was trying to sneak up on her. Sgt Adams instructed the security guard to back away then began to calmly speak with the woman. Sgt Adams displayed incredible patience, negotiating skills and tact as he continued to inch closer to the woman as he engaged her in conversation.

At one point the woman asked Sgt Adams to call her mother so she could basically tell her mother that she loved her and to say goodbye, then the woman began to look down at the pavement below and was inching closer to the edge of the parking structure.

Sgt Adams recognized these signs and felt that she was resigned to commit suicide and was preparing to jump. As the woman began to lean forward, Sgt Adams rushed to her, wrapped his arms around her and forcefully removed her from the ledge of the parking structure. She was ultimately taken to a crisis center completely unharmed.

There is no doubt that Sgt Adams' actions on June 17th saved the life of this despondent woman who was prepared to take her own life. It was only through Sgt Adams' patience and skill that the woman was saved from taking her own life on that date.

The Salem Police Department says they are very proud of Sergeant Miller and Sergeant Adams and congratulate them on their recent recognition from the Oregon Peace Officers Association.