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Manassas police promote multiple officers; department recognizes staff for child‑abduction recovery and other life‑saving actions
Summary
Chief Keane introduced a large promotion and presented awards recognizing officers and special police for work that led to the safe recovery of a child, prevented a suicide attempt and rescued an infant left inside a vehicle.
The Manassas City Police Department on July 15 introduced a large class of promotions and presented several awards to officers and special police whose actions led to life‑saving outcomes in recent months.
Chief Keane told council the department will promote 11 people in late July and previewed three officers who will be promoted to captain/assistant chief roles. "This is going to be the largest promotion that I can remember in my career," the chief said.
The council and chief recognized multiple individual incidents at the meeting. Chief Keane described a March 26 response in which department communications and officers coordinated a multi‑jurisdictional effort to recover a child who had been abducted in a stolen vehicle. Sergeant Krause worked with OnStar to locate the vehicle; master police officer Hogue, with his canine partner Bane, and senior police officer Statman located and stopped the car; officers deployed a Taser to take the noncompliant suspect into custody; and questioning led to the child’s safe recovery at a nearby residence. The chief said the suspect had both a knife and a firearm in the vehicle and that the child was recovered unharmed. The department awarded the Honorable Service Award to Sergeant Krause, Master Police Officer Hogue, Senior Police Officer Statman and public safety communications supervisor Jeremy Bergeron (who managed radio traffic and AMBER alert protocols).
The department also presented a Medal of Merit to Master Police Officer Ricky Clodfelter for removing a man from the ledge of a downtown parking garage on March 31 and engaging him until help arrived. Chief Keane said the officer's actions likely prevented a suicide.
Special Police Officer Espio Pinto received a Medal of Merit for removing a locked infant from a closed vehicle on May 2. Chief Keane described the infant as having been inside a closed, heat‑trapping vehicle for an estimated five to seven minutes; Officer Pinto broke the driver's side window and escorted the parent to a pediatric medical facility. The chief noted National Highway Traffic Safety Administration figures about the dangers of children left in hot cars.
Council members and the mayor congratulated the officers and asked for a brief recess so family members and council could greet the promotees.
The recognitions were presented during the council's scheduled meeting; no policy changes were proposed. Council members praised the department's work and expressed appreciation for the officers’ service to the community.
