California Officers Lauded For Actions During Fire, Shootout

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Five police officers are receiving California’s highest honor for together saving nearly four dozen people during two chaotic incidents last year. Four California Highway Patrol officers flying two helicopters pulled 41 people from the path of a wind-driven wildfire that trapped them north of Napa in one of several raging fires a year ago. One pilot says the hurricane-force winds were among the worst he’s ever experienced. Separately, Yuba County Sheriff’s Deputy Dan Harris was wearing shorts, a polo shirt – and no bulletproof vest – when he aided two deputies chasing an armed suspect. He pulled both deputies to safety after they were wounded in a shootout. The five were awarded public safety officer medals of valor Monday by Gov. Jerry Brown and Attorney General Xavier Becerra.

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