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Austin Police Department honors officers, civilians and lifesaving acts at awards ceremony
Summary
At an APD ceremony, Assistant Chief Lee Rogers and Chaplain Art Cardenas honored dozens of employees and community members for service milestones, promotions and multiple lifesaving and meritorious actions including an 11/06/2025 water rescue.
Assistant Chief Lee Rogers opened the Austin Police Department awards ceremony with housekeeping instructions and thanked department families and partner agencies for their support before presenting a sequence of service awards, promotions and distinguished citations.
The ceremony included an invocation led by Chaplain Art Cardenas and a moment of silence for fallen officers. “Heavenly Father, we just come before you today,” Chaplain Cardenas said during the invocation; attendees responded with “Amen.” Lee Rogers also noted Chief Lisa Davis was unable to attend due to responsibilities at City Hall and relayed her appreciation.
Rogers read names from multiple service milestones and promotions: 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, 25- and 30-year service awards were presented to sworn officers and civilian staff across patrol, investigations, emergency communications, forensics and administrative units. The assistant chief singled out employees involved in training, academy development, evidence management and crime intelligence while praising partnerships with Austin Fire Department and Austin-Travis County EMS.
The department also presented a series of citations for lifesaving and meritorious actions. Rogers described an 11/06/2025 rescue in which Officer Shane Carney, a certified rescue swimmer, entered Lake Austin to free a hearing-impaired woman entangled in vegetation and mud; she was transported to the hospital and recovered. Rogers said Carney’s actions warranted a lifesaving award with valor.
Rogers recounted additional interventions: Officers Joseph Dussler and Asael Cornejo forced entry during an attempted suicide and provided immediate aid that likely prevented death; other officers and EMS personnel were recognized for coordinated response in a 09/10/2025 incident that involved a foot pursuit, search in a greenbelt and emergency medical care near an elementary school. Several community members—Jesus Gonzales, Jessica Johnson and Brandeis Turner—received distinguished service citations after intervening and supplying photographic evidence that helped APD identify and arrest a suspect in a downtown stabbing.
Assistant Chief Rogers closed by thanking families and partners, reminding supervisors to collect awards for absent employees and noting refreshments were available. He announced the next awards gathering would be August 26 at 6 p.m.
The ceremony was primarily celebratory rather than a venue for policy decisions; no motions, votes or formal legislative actions were taken or recorded during the event.
