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Among those in the group were family members of
Lincoln Police officer Corporal Maurice “Officer Moe” Johnson.
As is tradition, Officer Moe was up front, leading the pack into his
home town. This year, as he rode in, a large banner posted on the
side of one of the Lincoln Rural fire trucks boasted that Officer
Moe has been named as the 2016-17 Officer of the Year with the
Lincoln Police Department.
A voice on a loud speaker called out Moe, with many loud cheers from
the IL COPS group as it was announced that he had been named Officer
of the Year.
Johnson would then gather his family, including his mother, sister,
and other close relatives under the banner for a commemorative
photo.
After everyone had filed through the food line and enjoyed their
meal, Lincoln Police Chief Paul Adams was called to the front to
present Johnson with his Officer of the Year Award. Johnson’s name
will be added to the Officer of the Year plaque at the Lincoln
Police Station, and he was awarded with a medal from the city of
Lincoln and the police department.
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Johnson, who is known to most of his fellow officers as well as
many members of the community as Moe, has been with the department since 2012.
He came to Lincoln from the Galesburg Police Department where he served as a
bicycle officer for five years.
Since coming to Lincoln he has adapted well to his new community and is involved
with the community.
In 2016, he, along with three other officers, were recognized
with the Life Saving Award from the Lincoln Police Department.
From the account given in 2016:
The first officers on the
scene were Corporal Maurice Johnson and Sergeant Robert Sherren. They assessed
the situation and determined that Fish was in heart failure. Using the AED
machine they carry in their squads, they applied an electric shock to the
victim’s heart, then immediately followed through with CPR chest compressions.
Adams explained that the AED machine provided advice on when to administer a
shock. The officers followed the directives from their equipment and in their
efforts administered an electric shock to the victim seven times.
With four officers on the scene,
Adams said each one took turns in administering CPR chest compressions. The
officers alternated electric shock and CPR, and Adams said in total they
performed chest compressions on the victim for 8 minutes, in addition to the
shock treatments.
Adams said the Lincoln Fire Department also arrived on the scene and provided
oxygen for the victim. The Logan County Paramedics were quick to respond as
well. After the paramedics had arrived, the officers continued their efforts
while the paramedics worked to get the victim ready for transport to Abraham
Lincoln Memorial Hospital for emergency treatment.
On the evening when the four officers were recognized, the young family of
Matthew Fish was in the chamber councils and recounted the events of the night.
Matthew was in cardiac arrest and his wife has no doubt that the quick response
and the efforts of the four officers saved her husband’s life.
Johnson has also participated in the IL COPS event every year since arriving in
Lincoln. He said in a 2013 interview that he felt that raising awareness for
this group was very important to him personally, but he also wanted to represent
well for his then new home town of Lincoln.
[Nila Smith] |
