The bravery of law enforcement officers from around the state including five from south central Illinois were honored at a Medal of Honor ceremony in Springfield Wednesday.
A total of 136 officers from 41 police agencies received recognition for their acts of heroism.
Locally, the late Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Riley was honored following his death during a traffic stop on Interstate 64 in 2021. Two members of a SWAT team later called to a rural Carlyle home where the suspect had taken two hostages were also honored. After negotiating, Troopers Jeffry Graham and Adam Bauer entered the home after hearing gunfire. They rescued the one remaining hostage inside and took the suspect into custody.
Wamac Police Chief Steve Prather was honored for a 2019 incident where a suspect he was trying to stop in a chase that went into Washington County fired at him through the sunroof of his car.
Retired Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy David May was honored for his courage during a 2021 incident involving a violent attempted escape of an inmate in the courthouse sally port.
ISP Director Brendan Kelly spoke to the crowd.
“This selflessness right here in this room includes high-intensity situations such as confronting an active shooter firing rounds into a crowd of people. Or pursuing a suspect who is shooting at fleeing bystanders.”
The Medal of Honor is awarded to officers who have been killed or seriously injured in the line of duty or who have shown exceptional bravery on the job. This was the first time the ceremony was held since 2016.
Leslie Riley accepts the Medal of Honor from State Police Director Brendan Kelly on behalf of her late husband, Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Riley, after being fatally shot during a motorist assist on I-64. (State of Illinois video capture)
Governor Pritzker speaks at the Medal of Honor ceremony.
