Shocked and honored, Randall McMurray receives Officer of the Year at 2024 SBPD awards

SOUTH BEND — Randall McMurray wears many hats in the South Bend Police Department, serving on the honor guard, pension board, peer support team, critical incidents stress management team, FACT team, rapid response team and as an emergency vehicle operations instructor.

McMurray, a first class patrolman currently serving as a crime scene technician, was shocked to receive a new role Wednesday night: South Bend's Officer of the Year.

“I’m very honored,” he said during the ceremony at the Four Winds Casino ballroom. “I’ve been here for 10 years, so it feels good to get recognized and know that my work is being seen by others.”

McMurray has "teched" 80 scenes while completing 202 reports, “treating each one with equal regard,” South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski said in his speech announcing McMurray's honor.

McMurray, who sat at a table near the front, said he had no idea he would be receiving Officer of the Year. In fact, his family picked the spot, he said.

“There’s a lot of people in the department who deserve this award just as much,” he said. For him, the awards are an opportunity to come together and “see the work everyone has done over the year and get recognized for it,” McMurray said.

This award won’t change McMurray's work ethic. “I’m going to continue to do what I do, working to the best of my ability and try to make citizens, my family and everyone proud,” he said.

Department presents Community Problem Solving Award and more

The department honored officers, police department personnel and community members throughout the evening, including the Community Problem Solving Award to Christine Karsten and Officer Brian Meador.

The award is given to anyone who shows an exemplary effort to identify, analyze and successfully respond to causes, conditions and problems that may lead to crime and neighborhood disorder.

Chief Scott Ruszkowski called recipient WNDU Morning News Anchor Christine Karsten the “voice and hope to the victims of unsolved crimes. She is a true ambassador of the message of ‘See something, say something, so we can do something,'" he said.

In Karsten’s segment, Michiana Unsolved, “she brings awareness to the unsolved cases in a way the community can empathize with and offers another way to make a difference,” Ruszkowski said.

Officer honored for saving baby's life

Community Resource Officer Brian Meador also received the Community Problem Solving Award, but before he could take his seat, Ruszkowski called state legislators to the stage.

In a surprise to Meador, Rep. Maureen Bauer, D-South Bend and state Sen. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend took the podium to announce the passing of House Concurrent Resolution 8, in recognition of Meador’s heroic efforts on Dec. 12 in the police department’s lobby.

On the evening of Dec. 12, a couple was taking their child to the hospital when their child became unresponsive in the car. They entered the police station for help. Officer Meador, upon hearing the commotion, began performing chest compressions until medics arrived.

Niezgodski and Bauer credited Meador’s quick thinking, composure and training to save the child’s life, and it wasn’t the first time he’d done so.

Meador said he and two other officers previously saved a baby with special needs, winning a life-saving award previously.

He recalled the events leading up to the Dec. 12 incident.

“I thought it was a fight at first,” he said. After hearing the words, “He’s not breathing,” Meador said he started running.

“I didn’t know it was a baby (at first) either. All the training kicked in,” he said. He said he thinks all officers have a versatile training equipped to assist in any situation.

“If I hadn’t been there any of the other officers would have jumped in,” he said. “I just happened to be the guy that was there.”

Niezgodski and Bauer both presented House Concurrent Resolution 8 in their respective chambers, but Niezgodski credited Bauer for reaching out to him and beginning the resolution in the House.

“This is a way for us as legislators to recognize Officer Meador for his heroic actions,” Bauer told The Tribune. Having “the entire Indiana General Assembly come together and recognize his efforts, so many of my colleagues in the House were impressed by his actions.”

“It’s one of the most special things we can do as legislators to honor those back home,” Niezgodski said.

The department distributed 10 other awards, including:

Chief’s Award of Merit

Bri Fenton

Commander’s Award

Jose Aguilar, Tyler Donlon, Rodolfo Espraza, Sgt. Kevin Gibbons, Jen Jozwiak, Detective Chris Kozora, Officer Aaron Omanson and Officer Bradley Sadilek.

Department Commendation

Detective Kyle Bilinski, Officer Chris Brady, Detective Bruno Martinsky, Officer Hunter Miller, Rose Thompson, Chris Rajski, Officer Antonio Rodriguez, Detective Tim Taylor

Crime Prevention Special Commendation

Jarveair Bourn

Unit Meritorious Performance Award

SBPD Crime Lab: Charlie Eakins, Sierra Halstead, Ronald Kaszas, Lacie Klosinski, Aaron McCray, Ronald Wilson and Ray Wolfenbarger

Life Saving Award

Devonte Spratt, Jeffrey Veal, Zachery Wells, Brian Meador, Bradley Sadilek, Joseph Slabach, Jerrid Arnold, Maranda Baker and John Bies

Community Oriented Policing Special Partnership Award

Lynn Coleman, Tina Thompson, Charlotte Williams

Business Appreciation Award

Palmer Funeral Home and South Bend Cubs

Dortha Paxton Award

Tony Salazar

Patty Derue Nemeth Humanitarian Award

Crystal Hutchens

In a special recognition, Chief Dan Skibins recognized the efforts of field training officers who trained over 70 new recruits in 2022 and 2023 combined. "Without the dedication of our field training officers, we would not have been successful in building back our department to full staffing," he said in his speech. The department recognized Anne Hayes, Jeffery Vance, Travis Kukla, Tyler Donlon, Trent Mamazza, Timmy Buckingham, Sean Ryan, Joseph Carey, Reid Spitaels, Tony Dawson, Michael Stuk, Brandon Martin, Mollie Anton, Robert Anton and Tyler Jackey.

Email Tribune staff writer Camille Sarabia at csarabia@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Officers and community recognized in 12 awards by South Bend Police