Two Cleveland Police Officers were awarded the top awards Wednesday night during the Cleveland 100 Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner.
Officers Jacob Varnell and Jody Musselwhite were given awards for professionalism, heroism, valor and going above and beyond the call of duty. The top award is called the Courtney McGrady Award, named after retired ATF agent the late Courtney McGrady, a co- founder of the organization.
The two officers were involved in an investigation in July of this year that resulted in a convicted felon killed at the scene where he had kidnaped a young woman, and held another woman’s three children hostage.
The suspect was killed at the scene after he attack officers with a knife and threatened to kill a woman, her three children and a young kidnap victim.
The McGrady Award was among over 50 given out at the Cleveland 100 Annual Meeting. Cleveland 100, co-founded in 1996 by Mayor Tom Rowland, provides immediate financial assistance to families of first responders who may lose their lives in the line of duty. Since its inception, Cleveland 100 has provided financial help to three families: Bradley County Firefighter Sgt. Scott Berry in 1997; Cleveland Police Lt. Kenneth Simpson in 2008 and Cleveland Police Officer Justin Maples in 2012.
A Citizens Hero Award at the event went to the young woman who was a victim in the July incident. She was credit with distracting and delaying the suspect to allow the kidnapped children to call their mother and 911. The award cited her actions saved the lives of the kidnap victims and officers that day.
Awards were given out in two categories: Dedicated Professionals and Community Service. Winners were from Bradley County Sheriff’s Department, Cleveland Police Department, Bradley County Emergency Medical Services, Bradley Emergency Management Agency, Cleveland Fire Department, Bradley County Fire & Rescue, and Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Special guest at the meeting was Tennessee Department of Safety Deputy Commissioner David Purkey who is also director of Homeland Security.