By Susan Bromley

Staff Writer

Several current or former Brandon Township deputies and firefighters were honored this week for their extraordinary efforts in the past year in saving lives and solving crimes.

A major incident in which a resident was successfully disarmed of a crossbow and a home invasion in which a large amount of cash was recovered, as well as a life saved by the use of Narcan earned the deputies and firefighters recognition at The National Peace Officers Day Annual Awards Ceremony May 18, sponsored by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.

A Meritorious Service Citation was awarded to Deputies Buhl and Hubble, the first to

respond Nov. 10, 2015 to an address in the 600 block of Mill Street in the Village of Ortonville on a report of a suicidal subject who was allegedly schizophrenic and highly intoxicated. When the deputies entered the home, they were confronted by a man armed with a cocked and loaded crossbow. The man initially had the crossbow pointed at himself before pointing it at Buhl and requesting the deputy shoot him. The deputies retreated and notified the command desk of the situation.

Brandon Sgt. Dale Brown, then-command sergeant at the Emergency Operations Center, activated a response from a S.W.A.T. negotiator and notified Brandon Substation Commander Lt. Greg Glover. Deputies established a perimeter with the assistance of additional responding units from Independence Township and Glover, as well as Det. Pung and Deputy Beltz arrived on scene.

The subject then exited the home still armed with the crossbow, at a high ready position, according to reports, and aggressively advanced on the deputies, yelling at them to shoot him.

According to the nomination, “The deputies on scene utilized great restraint when faced with a deadly force situation by a subject in mental and emotional distress and were able to deploy a Taser from a position of cover taking the subject into custody. The quick and restrained response by all involved resulted in a successful conclusion to this incident, with no harm to anyone involved.”

Brown, Glover, Pung and Beltz all received professional excellence citations for their work on the incident.

Buhl and Hubble also were provided information by Brown regarding a home invasion suspect out of Lyon Townhip where a large quantity of cash was taken from a safe. Buhl and Hubble located the suspect’s vehicle Feb. 3, 2016 and affected a traffic stop, taking the suspect into custody for driving on a suspended license and an outstanding misdemeanor warrant from White Lake Police. A search of the suspect and his vehicle recovered several thousand dollars, as well as narcotics and other evidence regarding the home invasion and a safe key. Brown, as well as Det./Sgt. Miller and Det. O’Dea responded. Evidence recovered from within the vehicle allowed investigators to establish probable cause for a search warrant on the suspect’s residence, in which Buhl, Hubble, Deputy Ridley, former Brandon Deputy Rathbun, and Det. Mance assisted Brown, Miller and O’Dea in execution of the search warrant and much more money was recovered, along with a recently purchased Dodge Charger.

“The suspect was lodged and the investigation continues,” read the nomination. “The thoroughness and diligence of the deputies and detectives involved resulted in the recovery of over $353,000 in stolen cash for the victim, along with additional narcotics charges against the suspect.”

All the officers involved in the case were awarded professional excellence citations.
Hubble was able to add to his above awards, a lifesaving citation, which Brandon Fire Captain Billy Starr, as well as Fire Sgt./EMT Mike Atkin, and firefighters David Castle, Edward Neeson, Jon Person, Alec Rie, and Matt Wharton also added for their use of Narcan, an opioid antagonist.

Hubble was dispatched Sept. 11, 2015 to an address in the 4300 block of Seymour Lake Road on a report of an unresponsive subject. Upon arrival, there were no signs of life and attempts to revive the individual were unsuccessful. He began CPR and after several minutes, obtained signs of respiration from the subject, whom he placed in a recovery position and went to retrieve his opioid overdose kit from his patrol car. He returned to find the individual again void of any signs of life. He resumed CPR until Starr arrived on scene and administered the Narcan from the opioid overdose kit. The individual regained consciousness, was transported to the hospital by the firefighters and subsequently recovered from his overdose.

It was noted in the nomination, “The quick action of Deputy Hubble and Captain Starr in the administration of CPR and Narcan prevented this overdose from being fatal.”
Brown, who also earned an individual professional excellence citation for his work with the communications training unit while assigned to the Emergency Operations Center last year, praised his colleagues.

“The awards I received are a result of the hard work and dedication of the deputies I have the privilege to supervise,” he said. “The residents of Brandon should be proud of the hard work and dedication these deputies put forth on a daily basis. They are recognized for specific incidents, but they display professional excellence on a daily basis.”