Officers Recognized for Bravery, Service
Officers Jason Schoen, Scott Rudisil and James Hunter have won the Police Department’s Medal of Bravery.
The three were honored during an awards ceremony along with Officer Gary Potts, who received the Distinguished Service Medal.
Schoen, 31, was honored for catching a fleeing suspect who allegedly fired a handgun at another officer but failed to hit him.
Officers learned later that the suspect was a parolee who had been involved in a gun battle with Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies in 1990.
Rudisil, 29, and Hunter, 29, were honored for their efforts in breaking up a ring of robbers who stole from pizza delivery people. Posing as pizza deliverymen, the officers were dispatched to a residence in the 200 block of West Valencia Drive, where they were confronted by two men who tried to rob them and fired several gun shots at Rudisil.
The two officers, who were not injured, returned fire. The suspects fled but later were arrested.
Potts, 33, was praised for his efforts, both on and off duty, in presenting training programs for fellow officers and the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team.
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