Who:               Jefferson County citizens and deputies

What:              Exemplary Awards ceremony

When:             May 11, 2 p.m.

Where:            Jefferson County Administration and Courts building, Hearing Room 1

                        100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden

Sheriff Ted Mink will recognize the contributions of citizens and deputies who exhibited bravery, selflessness and professionalism in critical situations.  Some of the awards will go to:

         Deputies and SWAT team members who were fired upon by a man in the Willow Springs subdivision in December.  When deputies responded to the house, they were forced to take cover in the yard when he threatened to shoot them from inside the house.  The SWAT team arrived and took fire while providing cover for the first responders who could not leave their positions in the yard.

         A deputy who broke into a burning house looking for human victims and, finding none, rescued the only other occupant: a 17-year-old dog named Maggie.  The house, in Deer Creek Canyon, burned to the ground.  Maggie and her owners are planning to attend the ceremony.

         A deputy and K-9 who tracked the fleeing driver of a van involved in a crash on I-70 that killed four illegal immigrants.  The K-9 team followed the track for 2 hours in the Idaho Springs area in freezing temperatures, high winds and steep, rocky terrain.

         A teen and his two younger sisters who had to react when a man fleeing from police tried to hide in their home.  The teen stayed in the basement with his baby sister while the other girls ran outside and flagged down a deputy.

Recognition will also go to:

         The grand prize winner of the annual Be Kind to Animals poster contest, sponsored by Animal Control.  She is a 5^th grader at Parmalee Elementary.

         The recipient of the County Sheriffs of Colorado scholarship.  She is a senior at Pomona High.