Nine McLean Police Officers Earn Valor Award Winners

Nine McLean district police officers were among those honored last week at the annual Valor Awards for making "selfless sacrifices, placing themselves in harm's away, to protect the lives of others."

Capt. Dan Janickey, McLean District Commander, said, "All at the McLean Station are very proud of the officers who were recognized by the Valor Committee for their actions. These officers acted exemplary, selflessly putting their own lives in jeopardy to save others in the community."

They were among 103 Fairfax County police and fire and rescue officers, Vienna and Herndon police officers and county Sheriff's deputies honored for their selfless service at the

Nearly 700 public service officers, their wives, children, businessmen and elected officials filled the grand ballroom of the McLean Hilton in Tysons Corner to honor the men and women who protect county residents. The Valor Awards are given by the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce which also gives scholarships to the children of public safety officers.

The McLean officers receiving awards: Silver Valor- PFC Bronze Valor- PFC Daniel Perdue.

of the Reston District were honored for diving into the roiling waters of a pitch dark Potomac River near Great Falls to save a woman bent on suicide.

Officer Perdue entered a burning house to save a severely injured man he found inside. The man later died of smoke inhalation.

Certificate of Valors: Second Lieutenant Matthew Pifer, and PFC Brooks Gillingham.

Life Saving: PFC Chris Coleman,  PFC Jason Mardocco, PFC Ali Sepehri, Ofc. Brian Buracker.

McLean resident John Speicher, who is vice-chair of the McLean District Citizens Advisory Committee was one of 14 judges who selected the He said:

"It was my distinct privilege to serve on the small awards committee that evaluated and approved these awards earlier this year.  As (emcee) Leon Harris read their names, I vividly recalled the individual  nominations and extraordinary circumstances that we had read about.

"For example ~ one officer tackling a knife-wielding robber inside a local drug store from behind rather than shooting him, another performing CPR  at 9pm in freezing rain and sleet on a victim who had been struck by a car and was lying in a darkened traffic lane at the Dolley Madison and International Drive intersection at Tysons Corner in Feb, Engine Company personnel performing multiple water rescues one after the other in the heavy rains last September with victims stranded in vehicles, downed power lines in the water and exploding transformers in the immediate area, or the Deputy Sheriff on vacation in NYC who ran to (not from) the sound of a gunshot without backup or protective gear to render first aid to a shooing victim.

"Everyday some 5,000 men and women in our Fire and Rescue, Police Department and Sheriff's Office answer the call to service so that we civilians who live and work in Fairfax County can go about our activities with a reasonable expectation of peace and safety. 

"We owe them all so much.  Today we paid tribute to just a few of them for the extraordinary deeds they execute on a seemingly routine basis."