Lancaster County
Sheriff's awards

Deputy Sheriff of the Year for exceptional duty:
Deputy Bradley Sturdy

Sturdy, of Lincoln, was nominated by two of his co-workers for exceptional work on several cases while working as the Waverly deputy. The thoroughness of Brad’s investigations have paid off in the recovery of a stolen ATV and two felony arrests; clearance of an apartment burglary after going to great lengths to identify the suspect and stopping a 23-year-old from continuing to victimize a 15-year-old Waverly girl. In this last incident, he had prior contact with the suspect on a suspicious person call. A month later, on his days off, he was reading reports and recognized his suspect as being the subject of another suspicious person call. He also received a call on his day off to let him know the 23-year-old was coming from out of state to Waverly to engage in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl. The 23–year-old Missouri man was arrested for 1st degree sexual assault. Then in July, Sturdy was detailed to a 1-week-old infant not breathing. He arrived and began CPR until Waverly rescue took over rescue attempts. In August, Sturdy and another deputy were detailed to a 73-year-old not breathing. Both deputies began CPR After Waverly Rescue arrived, Sturdy continued with chest compressions while an AED administered a single shock. Although both victims died from their conditions, Brad’s lifesavings attempts were valiant and meant much to their families.

Meritorious Service Award: Deputy Michael Hansen

Hansen, of Lincoln, was detailed to a boat on fire at Branched Oak Lake. He discovered a person was stranded on the small burning boat several hundred yards from shore. The occupant of the boat yelled the boat was taking on water and sinking. Realizing the life threatening situation at hand, with the water temperature at 34 degrees and the air temperature in the 20s, Mike began to search for a boat to try a rescue attempt. He found a small plastic dingy that he and Raymond volunteer Zachariah Brown used to row 400 yards out to the burning boat. They reached the burning boat, staying with the victim until a larger vessel could transport all three men to shore. Deputy Hansen and Zachariah Brown put their lives in jeopardy to rescue the fisherman whose fishing partner drowned after he tried to swim to shore.

Exceptional Duty Award: Deputy Billy Ziemer

Ziemer, of Lincoln, was nominated for the numerous hours he has spent coordinating various community functions. He assisted in the planning of the Law Enforcement Torch Run and Polar Plunge for Special Olympics. For all of his efforts, Ziemer was invited to the International Special Olympics Conference in Canada. Additionally, he coordinates the sheriff’s office bike patrol. He organized and hosted in the trail trec community ride that gave members of the community a chance to interact with the deputies on the bike patrol. Ziemer is also our liaison with Region V services. He has become the "go to guy" for training of mental health issues and for day to day issues that come up on patrol.

Exceptional Duty Award: Capt. Gary Juilfs

Julifs, of Lincoln, was nominated for his work on the sheriff’s office 150th anniversary book. Over the past year, Julifs organized volunteer employees, conducted training on research at the state historical society, put in countless hours researching former sheriffs and incidents and soliciting photographs and memorabilia. The result is a very professional chronology of the Lancaster County Sheriff’s office that all employees, past and present, can be proud of.

Citizens Certificate of Merit: Zachariah Brown,
Ethan Childress and Derek Wagner

Brown, of Raymond, Childress, of Lincoln and Wagner of Lincoln, were nominated for their role in the March 5, 2011, boat fire and rescue at Branched Oak Lake. Childress and Wagner were camping with their Boy Scout troop when the noticed a boat on fire on the lake. They alerted their scoutmaster who called 911. Brown, a Raymond firefighter, assisted Deputy Hansen in rowing out to the burning boat in a small plastic dingy. Brown and Hansen remained with the fisherman who stayed in his boat because there was no room in the dingy until a larger vessel could take them all to shore.

Citizen Certificate of Merit: Melissa Straka