The Missouri Department of Public Safety announces recipients of the Governor's annual awards for heroic actions includes two agencies in the KXCV-KRNW listening area.
Eight members of the St. Joseph Police Department received the Governor's Medal for their actions in March of 2025 when they apprehended two carjackers who repeatedly fired on officers and rammed their vehicles during a police chase.
And among those receiving the Medal of Valor was a firefighter with the Linn Fire Protection District. Zebulon Hoffman, who was injured in a helicopter crash last October, freed his instructor pilot from the wreckage.
Additional information from the Missouri Department of Public Safety:
Members of the St. Joseph police department receiving the Governor’s Medal in recognition of acts above and beyond the call of normal duty during a critical incident in which the collective performance of the group was essential to the successful resolution of the incident. Elliott Barton, Todd Derr, Brandon Harrison, Jasmine Juares, Justin McElroy, Derek Rice, Michelle Ritter, Nathaniel Stapleton, St. Joseph Police Department – On March 27, 2025, after a violent carjacking in downtown St. Joseph, Officer Juares and Field Training Officer Stapleton located the vehicle, attempted a traffic stop and, when the two suspects took off, initiated what became a heart-racing 11-minute pursuit. As the driver raced through city streets and alleys, his accomplice fired at least seven bursts of shots at Juares and Stapleton, striking the patrol vehicle. Stapleton returned fire when safe to do so. Detective Ritter joined the pursuit, and her vehicle also sustained gunfire damage. Officers briefly lost sight of the suspect vehicle, but Detective Harrison located it and attempted to block the vehicle, but the carjackers rammed his patrol car. Sergeant Derr then took the lead, executing two controlled strikes, disabling the vehicle. Both suspects then fled on foot. Detective Harrison managed to apprehend the driver. Detectives Barton and McElroy and Officer Rice pursued the armed passenger through residential yards and over fences. The gunman turned and pointed his weapon at Barton and McElroy. Facing an imminent threat to their lives, both detectives discharged their service weapons. Officer Rice also fired. The gunman was struck and pronounced dead at the scene. During a high intensity, life-threatening ordeal, all eight officers acted with professionalism and skill and safely ended a severe threat to the public. Derr has been promoted to captain. Stapleton has been promoted to detective.
Linn fire protection district firefighter receiving the Medal of Valor: Missouri's highest award recognizing public safety officers who exhibit exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness and presence of mind, and unusual swiftness of action, regardless of his or her personal safety, in the attempt to save or protect human life. On October 21, 2025, Firefighter Hoffman, the Missouri Department of Conservation’s primary fixed wing pilot, was training to operate MDC’s helicopter. He and his instructor pilot were conducting training maneuvers at the Springfield Downtown Airport when the helicopter lost power and crash landed, flipping onto its left side. Despite suffering a crushed jaw and fractured vertebrae, Hoffman freed himself, escaped through the shattered windshield and immediately attempted to rescue his colleague. Ignoring his own pain, he repeatedly tried to lift the wreckage until he managed to free the instructor’s pinned left arm. Emergency responders arrived after 35 minutes. Both men were hospitalized for three weeks, with Hoffman undergoing emergency trauma care and extensive reconstructive surgery. His heroic disregard for his own critical injuries to extricate his trapped colleague was a courageous act of resilience and perseverance.
