CCPD held an award ceremony recognizing officers for lifesaving actions, including a bridge rescue, a burning-car crash response and a CPR revival, among others.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Several Corpus Christi police officers were honored this week for heroic actions ranging from lifesaving medical aid to a complex mental-health rescue, including one officer who received the department’s Police Shield after being shot while responding to a call. CCPD Public Information Officer Madeline Vaughn gave 3NEWS a breakdown of what each officer was awarded for. 


Officer injured while responding to July 7 crisis call

The officer who responded to this call has not been publicly identified due to their current assignment. 

The Police Shield, awarded to officers injured in the line of duty , was presented to an officer who was shot on July 7 while responding to a person-in-crisis call on Ocean Drive. CCPD said officers were attempting to de-escalate a PTSD episode and develop a rapport when the individual began firing through a door, striking the officer in his lower extremities, according to Vaughn. 

Another officer returned fire, striking the suspect in the leg.

The officer and the suspect were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

RELATED: Man charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on CCPD officer


Five lifesaving awards presented

CCPD also issued five Lifesaving Awards to officers whose actions directly contributed to saving lives in separate emergencies throughout the year.



Officers N. Foote and A. Soto were honored for their response to a major crash on March 22. Police said they found a woman trapped inside a severely damaged vehicle with life-threatening injuries. The officers applied tourniquets to her right arm and right leg before Corpus Christi Fire Department crews extracted her.

The ER Physician later told investigators that the tourniquets were critical to the woman’s survival, according to Vaughn. 

RELATED: Woman suffers serious injuries in single-vehicle accident, driver jailed for intoxication assault


Hostage negotiator lowered under bridge to save man in crisis


Senior Officer B. Houck, a trained hostage negotiator with CCPD’s Crisis Intervention Team, was recognized for a July 25 mental-health rescue. Officers were called to a man standing on an 18-inch beam beneath the Old Harbor Bridge. Houck secured himself in a safety harness and was lowered under the structure, where he spent about 90 minutes communicating with the man.

After gaining his trust, Houck convinced him to move to a safer position where officers were waiting to help.

Officer Vaughn said the CCPD Crisis Intervention Team maintains ongoing contact with residents who experience frequent mental-health emergencies, helping reduce strain on patrol officers and ensuring individuals receive consistent support in partnership with MHID.


RELATED: Officers’ compassion captured in viral Harbor Bridge rescue photo


Officer rescues driver from burning vehicle


Senior Officer K. Simmons was honored for a dramatic rescue on Aug. 10. Simmons had attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle speeding and weaving across lanes but canceled the stop due to its dangerous speed, in accordance with CCPD’s no-pursuit policy in high-risk situations.

A short time later, he came upon a debris field and found the same vehicle had crashed into a pole and a palm tree and had caught fire. The passenger was lying in the roadway, and the driver was unconscious and trapped inside the burning car.

Simmons moved the passenger to safety before returning repeatedly to the burning vehicle, where intense heat and smoke made the rescue increasingly difficult. After several attempts, he freed the driver’s legs and pulled him out just seconds before the vehicle became fully engulfed.

Both occupants survived.

Senior Officer J. Licon, not pictured, also received the Lifesaving Award for his actions on March 22. 

Responding to a “man down” call, Licon found a 51-year-old woman unresponsive and without a pulse. He immediately began chest compressions until fire and EMS personnel arrived.

According to CCFD Capt. Leahey, Licon’s efforts were critical in stabilizing the woman, who later regained a pulse at the hospital.

“Today, we celebrated the bravery of several our top officers!” CCPD said on their Facebook page. “We truly appreciate your unwavering dedication to the department and the people of Corpus Christi.”