'Above and beyond': Nine Beaumont Police officers recognized with Life-Saving, Meritorious Service Awards for heroic actions
While not all the incidents had outcomes everyone hoped for, these nine police officers persevered and never gave up on those who needed them.
Police officers handle overwhelmingly stressful and dangerous situations, doing so with the calmness of a trained professional and the heart of a compassionate human being.
The Beaumont Police Department recognized nine officers during their swearing-in and promotional ceremony with Life-Saving and Meritorious Service Awards. The officers received awards for going above and beyond the call of duty, keeping the city safe, and saving lives.
While not all the incidents had outcomes everyone hoped for, these nine police officers persevered and never gave up on those who needed them.
Matthew Balsizer, Michael Tamayo, Reginald Boseman Life Saving Award
Medical professionals said the quick thinking and fast actions of three officers saved the life of a woman whose throat had been cut from one side of her neck to the other.
Officers Mathew Balsizer, Michael Tamayo, and Reginald Boseman responded to a reported stabbing at a home in the 300 block of East Pipkin on August 28, 2022.
Upon arrival, the officers found a woman, who had been stabbed multiple times, lying in a pool of blood. One of her wounds went across her entire neck area.
An ambulance was not able to immediately respond to the scene.
The officers began treating the woman’s injuries and used items from around the home to make a stretcher for the victim. The men carried her out of the home and put her in their patrol vehicle.
Officer Balsizer drove the unit as Officers Tamayo and Boseman continued to treat the victim’s injuries in the backseat.
The victim was immediately taken into emergency surgery when officers got her to the hospital.
The director of the hospital’s Trauma Unit said Officer Balsizer’s, Tamayo’s and Boseman’s “creative and decisive” actions saved the woman’s life. Had they waited for an ambulance, medical professionals do not believe the woman would have survived.
Robert Eaglin was later arrested in connection with the stabbing and charged with "aggravated assault with a deadly weapon/family violence."
Chase Ratcliff Meritorious Service
For Officer Chase Ratcliff, not only is a picture worth 1,000 words, it can sometimes help prevent someone from taking their own life.
Officers responded to the 3200 block of North 10th Street on August 13, 2022, after receiving a call about a man threatening to commit suicide. The man was barricaded inside his bedroom when officers got to the scene.
He claimed to be armed with an assault rifle and sent a text message to his family showing that he did have the gun.
Officer Chase Ratcliff is a member of the hostage negotiation team. He spoke with the man threatening suicide over the phone.
The officer stayed on the phone with the man for more than an hour, remaining calm and building a rapport with him.
The man eventually hung up the phone. However, during the call Officer Ratcliff learned the man was threatening to kill himself because of relationship problems with his girlfriend.
Officer Ratcliff came up with a creative solution.
The man’s girlfriend was at the scene, so Officer Ratcliff took a picture of her and sent it to the man. Once the man got the picture, officers were able to get back on the phone with him.
After a long conversation, the man agreed to come out peacefully.
A surrender plan was formed, and the man left the residence unharmed.
Because of Officer Ratcliff’s ability to stay calm, communicate effectively and think outside of the box, this incident came to a peaceful conclusion.
Tray Armstrong and William Gilmore Meritorious Service
Sometimes, it's about saving someone's life. Other times, it's about going above and beyond to save someone from a bad situation.
The Beaumont Police Department believes the good hearts of Officer Tray Armstrong and Officer William Gilmore saved a family from hunger and unsanitary condition during the holiday season.
Officers Tray Armstrong and William Gilmore responded to the 2000 block of Euclid after receiving a call about checking the welfare of eight children on December 6, 2022.
The officer spoke to the children’s mother, who they suspected was suffering from mental health issues.
Officers found there was no food in the home and the house was “extremely unsanitary.” The men believes it was not a good environment for the children.
Noticing that the children were hungry, Officer Gilmore bought them food for that night.
Child Protective Services later found the children’s father and released them to him. Officer Gilmore and Armstrong’s help did not end there.
The next day, the officers reached out to Sergeant Tom Swope to organize getting Christmas gifts for the children.
Other organizations helped and the officers were able to get two sets of bunk beds and bedding donated. The officers were able to get food donations from the Food back and Allegiance bank as well as clothing donations from other sources.
The officers also helped the children's father enroll the youngest child into daycare so he would be able to continue working.
Jay Revia Meritorious Service
The situation was dangerous and stressful, but Officer Jay Revia was able to seamlessly shift from leader to negotiator and potentially save a man's life.
The Beaumont Police Department SWAT Team searched a residence in the 6600 block of Prutzman Road on July 25, 2022. Officer Revia led the SWAT officers who cleared the residence.
As the team was clearing the residence, they found a suspect in a bedroom. The suspect got a knife, went into an adjoining room, put the knife to his neck, and threatened to kill himself.
Officer Revia calmly talked to the man for 45 minutes.
Through his leadership, calm demeanor, and perseverance, the situation was brought to a nonviolent and peaceful conclusion. Officer Revia was eventually able to convince the man to put the knife down.
The Beaumont Police Department feels Officer Revia displayed excellence in two roles, as a leader of the SWAT element and as a negotiator.
Brianna Ortega and Michael Tamayo Meritorious Service
Not all situations officers find themselves in have a happy ending. Despite the circumstances or possible outcomes, the two officers were able to remain calm as they worked to save the life of a child.
It happened on September 29, 2022. Officers Brianna Ortega and Michael Tamayo were on a call for service in the 2900 block ok of South 8th Street.
While dealing with the situation, a woman approached the officers stating that her baby was not breathing.
Both officers ran to her apartment and found an unresponsive 5-month-old boy. He was later identified as JaKaiden Shaw.
Tamayo and Ortega began first aid, but during their efforts, Shaw remained unresponsive.
The officers refused to give up on Shaw and continued taking turns administering CPR until paramedics arrived and took over.
Shaw's pulse returned at the scene. He was taken to an area hospital and later flown to a Houston hospital.
The 5-month-old was hospitalized for one month and died on October 30, 2022.
Officers Ortega and Tamayo took control of a chaotic scene and worked together to finish everything that needed to be done, including gathering the initial information. The incident tragically later escalated into a homicide investigation.
Police believe Shaw's injuries were a result of him being "violently" shaken more than once for a "sustained time." The trauma caused Shaw to suffer from a severe bacterial infection, or sepsis.
Quenisha Hawkins, Shaw's mother, was later arrested and charged with injury to a child by act causing serious body injury and injury to a child by omission causing serious body injury.
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