A State Police officer from Benton who saved the life of an FBI agent during a southern Illinois shootout was presented with the Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge (FOP) Life Saving Award during an Illinois Drug Officers Association meeting in East Peoria on October 27.
“This trooper’s quick and determined actions saved the life of a fellow officer,” said FOP State Lodge President Chris Southwood. “He set an example of service above self that is a model for all law enforcement officers.”
The FOP’s Life Saving Award, given for outstanding efforts in performing actions or applying techniques that result in saving or sustaining a human life, was awarded to Sergeant Jonathan Edwards, a member of Illinois State Police FOP Lodge 41. In May 2016, a suspect shot and wounded a Mahomet Police officer and fled the scene. This shooting of the officer lead to an extensive manhunt by local authorities, the Illinois State Police and the FBI. The suspect was located in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois which lead to a gun battle, during which an FBI SWAT officer was wounded. Sgt. Edwards was on scene assisting with the crisis negotiation team, located the wounded FBI agent while the gun battle was continuing and applied a self purchased tactical tourniquet to control the bleeding. Sgt. Edwards’ combat medical training assisted in preserving the life of the FBI Agent.
The Fraternal Order of Police, founded in 1915, is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. With a proud tradition of officers representing officers, the FOP is the most respected and most recognized police organization in the country. The Illinois FOP, chartered in 1963, is the second largest State Lodge, proudly representing more than 34,000 active duty and retired police officers – more than 10 percent of all FOP members nationwide. Visit www.ilfop.org for more information.
