Deputies commended for helping officer
WAYNESBURG – Two Greene County sheriff’s deputies were honored during a town hall meeting Thursday for helping a local police officer who suffered a medical emergency during a traffic stop last week.
Chief Deputy Marcus Simms and Deputy Christopher Caldwell each were given the Distinguished Service Award in recognition of helping a Waynesburg police officer who became ill at a scene they were called to Wednesday afternoon.
“It was something that any officer would have done,” Simms said. “It’s part of your job.”
During a routine traffic stop in Waynesburg, the borough police officer, who was not identified, told Simms and Caldwell he was not feeling well and needed to call for an ambulance.
Before the ambulance arrived, however, the officer began to throw up blood and passed out on the ground, Simms said.
Simms, who also is a borough police officer, quickly placed the officer into his county patrol car and took him to WHS-Greene hospital while Caldwell continued to follow procedures at the scene.
Greene County Sheriff Brian Tennant said the two deputies went above and beyond what they are called to do in that kind of situation and thought they deserved to be recognized for their service. The officer taken to the hospital is now in stable condition, Tennant said. He medical ailment was not made public.
“I was shocked at receiving the award,” Simms said. “I didn’t know that was going to happen.”
The deputies were honored during the town hall meeting to discuss the growing prescription drug and heroin epidemic.