Austin Police Department honors service milestones, life‑saving acts, promotions and retirements at quarterly ceremony

At a quarterly awards and recognition ceremony, the Austin Police Department honored officers and civilian staff for service milestones, life‑saving actions, promotions and retirements, and recognized teams selected as unit-of-the-year.

The event featured opening remarks from Senior Chaplain Ken Farmer and Chief James Mason (standing in for Chief Davis), multiple presentations of service awards ranging from five to 30 years, a series of lifesaving and meritorious service citations tied to specific incidents, dozens of sworn promotions, and official retirements. Chief Mason thanked families for their support and asked attendees to drive home safely.

The ceremony highlighted several life‑saving incidents cited by nominators. Sergeant Wu described Detective Davis’s response to a Nov. 10, 2024 call in which a woman was reported to have fallen about 26 feet from a bridge; according to the nomination read at the ceremony, Detective Davis climbed down bridge supports, reached the victim who was partially submerged and bleeding, coordinated with Austin Fire Departments units and helped ensure the victim received medical care. Lieutenant David Nordstrom read a nomination for Corporal Thomas Villarreal describing…