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Two Officers Honored at City Council Meeting

Two Police Officers were honored at the August 14, 2007 Lancaster City Council Meeting.  Cpl. Michael Hirtle received the SC Police Chief's Association's Medal of Honor and Sgt. Karl Allen received the SC Police Chief's Association's Life Saving Award. They were presented their awards by Chief Hugh White while their families and fellow officers looked on. 

On May 11, 2007, Cpl. Hirtle, along with other officers, was on the firing range when he was struck in his upper left thigh with some type of fragment.  The fragment nicked an artery and Cpl. Hirtle began bleeding profusely. 

Sgt. Allen, one of the Department's firearms instructors, made Hirtle get on the ground after realizing he had been hurt. He applied pressure to Hirtle's wound until first responders and Lancaster County Emergency Medical Services arrived.  Hirtle was stabilized and then airlifted from the range by MedCenter Air to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC,  where he underwent surgery.  Since his recovery from his injuries, Cpl. Hirtle has returned to full duty and has received a letter from Governor Mark Sanford thanking him for his service to the citizens of Lancaster and the State of South Carolina.