BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Several Bexar County Sheriff deputies were recognized and honored Tuesday during an awards ceremony.
The BCSO awards included the Medal of Honor, Medal of Valor, Life Saving, and Purple Heart.
The honors were given to deputies in life-and-death scenarios against dangerous suspects.
Deputy Bryant Hakey was awarded the Life Saving Award after preventing an inmate from choking on food in early March, according to BCSO.
Deputy Jared Callaghan was also granted the Life Saving Award after BCSO said he administered Narcan and saved the life of an unresponsive female on Oct. 7, 2023.
On Feb. 3, Deputy Chicky Helbes saved the life of a female inmate who was attempting to kill herself inside a jail cell, BCSO said. Deputy Helbes was presented with the Lifesaving Award.
Deputy Stephanie Loera, who BCSO said managed to prevent a female inmate from hanging herself inside her jail cell, was awarded a Lifesaving Award.
Deputy Jayson Moran and Deputy Alan Pedraza noticed an inmate walking out of a bathroom with a sheet tied around his neck, according to authorities. BCSO said the deputies rushed over and prevented the inmate from taking his own life. Deputy Moran and Deputy Pedraza are recipients of the Lifesaving Award.
Deputy Raul Maldonado was granted both a Medal of Valor and a Purple Heart Award.
On May 2, 2023, Deputy Mario Tirado and Deputy Jeremy Valadez saved the life of a woman during a shootout with a man, BCSO said. Deputy Tirado received the Medal of Honor, and Deputy Valadez was awarded the Medal of Valor.
Through their actions, the deputies gained control of the situation and saved numerous lives, including their own.
“I know for a fact they replay it over and over in their head, and they second guess themselves and wonder, ‘Why couldn’t I have done more’ and what we do is we stop, and we tell them, ‘Look, you did enough. You made it home at the end of the night, others made it through that situation alive, and well because of what you did and thank you, here’s a token of our gratitude,’” said Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar.