Governor Kehoe to award the state’s highest honors to selected Mid-Missouri first responders
Jazsmin Halliburton
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Governor Mike Kehoe will be awarding Missouri’s highest public safety honors Tuesday to a select few responders and people for their heroic acts made in 2024, including some first responders from Mid-Missouri.
According to a press release, the awards include:
15 Missouri Medals of Valor for exceptional courage and heroism in an attempt to protect or save human life.
13 Governor’s Medals for heroic acts performed by a team of first responders.
Four Red, White and Blue Heart Awards for first responders seriously or fatally injured in the line of duty (the Red, White and Blue Heart awards will be bestowed posthumously).
Six Public Safety Civilian Partnership Awards for civilians who provided valuable or courageous assistance to first responders or the public.
Kehoe will give a Red, White and Blue Heart Award to Assistant Chief Matt Tobben of the Boone County Fire Protection District. Tobben was killed when her was operating a boat while rescuing two people from a flash flood in Bear Creek in Columbia last July.
Two Callaway County deputies will be awarded the Medal of Valor. Sergeant Justin Bax and Corporal Gardner Pottorff were shot during a traffic stop last October. Both deputies exchanged gunfire with the suspects before the suspect was shot by the deputies.
Former Chief Lana Karhoff from the North Callaway Fire Protection District will also receive the Medal of Valor. Karhoff responded to an active shooting scene and personally transported a wounded deputy sheriff to immediate medical attention in order to save his life.
Governor Kehoe will be joined by Public Safety Director Mark James to award the medals at the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s law enforcement training academy gymnasium at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.