2 Regional Men Among Officers Cited for Valor

A police officer living in Encino who saved a 12-year-old hostage, and another officer living in the Antelope Valley who saved a 6-year-old boy from a fire were among seven police officers awarded the Medal of Valor in a ceremony Downtown on Wednesday.

Officer Hilton Henry, 31, of Encino, and Officer Ernest Jimenez, 31, who lives in the Antelope Valley, won the medals, the highest award for bravery given by the Los Angeles Police Department.

In a ceremony attended by more than 600 police officers and community leaders, Police Chief Willie L. Williams hailed the men as heroes.

“These awards are special, especially with all the problems and concerns that have been heaped upon . . . this department,” Williams said. “It’s nice when the larger community can take time out and say, ‘Thank you.’ ”

Hundreds of Los Angeles police officers were considered this year for the award, but only the seven officers met the most important criteria: All put their lives in danger to help others.

Henry, while working for the West Traffic Division, was flagged down by a motorist in East Hollywood on April 30, 1993. The motorist had evaded a carjacking and pointed out the gunman, who had just robbed a nearby restaurant. Henry chased him and ordered him to stop, but the suspect grabbed a 12-year-old girl, held a gun to her head and told Henry to drop his weapon.

“Drop your gun,” the suspect kept demanding. “Why don’t you just release the girl and we can try to resolve this?” Henry pleaded.

But bullets, not talk, resolved the confrontation.

Motorcycle Officer Stephen Kehoe arrived to back up Henry. They kept cover behind Henry’s car. The man got into the open driver’s door with the hostage. Henry shot out a rear tire, trying to keep the man from driving away. A shootout ensued and both Kehoe and the suspect were wounded.

The man was able to drive the patrol car a short distance before running into a parked car and being captured.

Henry, 31, was married three months ago, but “I don’t worry about him,” said his wife, Tammi. “I know he’s good at what he is doing, and I know that God is watching over him.”

Jimenez and other police officers had already helped as many as 18 people escape from a burning apartment building in South-Central Los Angeles when they learned that a 6-year-old boy was still inside.

Looking through a window, they were able to see the boy before the heavy black smoke obscured their view. While a firefighter went to get his breathing apparatus, Jimenez decided not to wait any longer and went inside the building.

“I decided to give it a shot,” Jimenez said. Later firefighters told him he could have easily fallen into any holes that had opened up in the floor from the fire.

“I was scared later,” said Jimenez, who found the boy, semiconscious. The room was glowing from the flames in other rooms.

Jimenez said the experience gave him new respect for firefighters.

“I had no idea how hot a room could get,” said Jimenez, who was assigned to the North Hollywood Division for five months before being transferred back to the Newton station this week.

He was with the Newton division when he made the rescue. The fire happened two years ago.

“I was kind of surprised that it (the award) came around now,” Jimenez said.