Medal of Valor awarded trio of Bryant Police officers

By Martin Couch

Three Bryant Police officers were given the department’s first Medal of Valor awards in front of the Bryant City Council on Thursday night.

In May, Bryant resident Jack Dailey was tragically killed when he was swept inside a large culvert at Midland Park during a flashflood. Corporal Lee Prickett, Sgt. Shawn Fullington and Sgt. David Miller rushed to the scene to try and save Daley.[more]

“The gentleman got trapped in a storm drain at the soccer fields and we couldn’t pull him up, because of the force of the floodwater,” Lt. JW Plouch said. “They got him through to the other side and tried to resuscitate him.”

On Thursday, Prickett, Fullington and Miller were each awarded the Medal of Valor for their efforts in trying to save the man.

“This is the first time we’ve given out these medals,” Plouch said.

Miller, Fullington and Prickett did everything possible to bring back the man who was trapped, but the floodwaters had him pinned inside the culvert, which made it difficult to get to him. A volunteer fire fighter had jumped into the water, but was also swept to the other side after trying to hold on inside the culvert. The high rate of the water flowing through at that time prevented the firefighter from grabbing hold of the man. When his body appeared, all the policemen tried desperately to revive him.

“We’re very proud of their efforts,” Plouch said.