CHICO, Calif. — The Butte County Sheriff’s Office hosted its annual awards ceremony on Wednesday at the Neighborhood Church in Chico, recognizing the exemplary service of its deputies, detectives, and staff over the past year.
Sheriff Kory Honea highlighted the department’s outstanding performance during two critical incidents: the Park Fire and the Palermo school shooting. “That was a horrific situation,” Honea remarked, emphasizing the challenges such emergencies pose to law enforcement agencies and communities alike.
A standout moment of the ceremony was the recognition of Detectives Sean Dewy and Bradley Buchwalter, who, along with their team, were honored with the Sheriff’s Meritorious Service Award. Their swift and decisive actions were credited with saving the life of 6-year-old Roman Mendez during the school shooting. Undersheriff Matt Calkins explained their life-saving intervention, noting, “They identified that the chest seals that were placed on him were starting to fail. They removed them and put new chest seals on Roman to prevent air from entering his chest cavity and possibly creating a life-threatening situation.”
Reflecting on his team’s efforts, Sheriff Honea stated, “As a law enforcement executive, you’re hoping your team is going to be up to the challenge. And my team was, and I’m proud of that.”
Additional honors included the Sheriff’s Medal of Valor, awarded to Justin Chamness, while Sean Brandow was named Deputy Sheriff of the Year.
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