A commendable act… EPD recognizes two officers act of courage during service call
Published 1:16 pm Friday, July 10, 2020
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Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton Police Department Police Chief Jason Shaw (center) presented Captain Lincoln Orellana (left) and Captain Patrick White (right) with the Medal of Distinguished Service with White also presented the Silver Cross due to injuries suffered in a felony arrest in December of 2019.
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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR STAFF
As a police officer, one never knows what they might encounter during the course of a shift. It could be calm with limited calls or non-stop, action-filled.
Regardless, no one can tell what the next call holds.
Such was the case for Captain Lincoln Orellana and Captain Patrick White on a call they responded to just past Midnight on December 28, 2019, when they responded to a call just across the street from the Elizabethton City Hall.
The call involved a suspect that both officers were familiar with in violation of an order of protection.
According to Chief Jason Shaw, it was during that incident that lives were changed forever.
Shaw related how the suspect was known to carry weapons but in the past, both officers had successfully dealt with him without any violence. As the officers approached the dwelling, White had chosen to deploy his taser in hopes of being able to avoid the use of deadly force.
Neither Orellana nor White was expecting the suspect to be lying in wait as both were ambushed with the suspect first striking White in the head with a metal cigarette machine and then turning his attention toward attacking Captain Orellana.
The attack on Captain Orellana forced him to fire his weapon in an attempt to stop the assault.
It was during the attack that Captain Orellana chose to stop firing as he realized that Captain White could possibly be in the line of fire thus putting his own life in jeopardy to avoid the chance of striking Captain White with a bullet.
Even though he suffered the head injury, Captain White remained in the fight with the suspect to protect himself and Captain Orellana.
Shaw stated, “both of these officers distinguished themselves above and beyond the call of duty.”
Elizabethton Police Department’s Major Jerry Bradley further added, “during this incident both Captain White and Captain Orellana showed great courage and fortitude in the line of duty with the knowledge that they were putting their safety at risk.”
As a result of that bravery, both Captain White and Captain Orellana were awarded the Medal of Distinguished Service during the Elizabethton City Council July meeting on Thursday at City Hall.
In addition, as a result of injuries that were received during the felonious assault, White was also awarded the Silver Cross.
The officers received a standing ovation from those in attendance and City Council. Some of their fellow officers were also on hand for the recognition along with the officer’s families.
