Tulsa Police Department - Medal of Valor

Thursday, March 1st 2007, 10:16 pm

By: News On 6

It is awarded to any member of the Tulsa Police Department for an act of outstanding bravery or heroism through which the recipient demonstrates to a great degree the characteristics of selflessness, personal courage, and devotion to duty.

Officer Kerry Whitten and Officer Tommy Barbee
On February 26th, 2006, Officer Tommy Barbee was working his regular assignment in the Uniform Division Southwest Selective Enforcement Unit when he was flagged down by a resident of the Woodbine Apartments at 5100 South Delaware Place and told an apartment was on fire. He could see smoke and flames coming out of an upstairs window. A citizen told Officer Barbee one man lived in that apartment. He didnâ€™t know it then, but that man was having a major seizure inside the burning apartment. Officer Barbee climbed the stairs and kicked in the door. Heavy black smoke made it nearly impossible to see, but, without regard to his own safety, Officer Barbee entered the apartment, found the victim and began to drag him to safety. He couldnâ€™t find the door because of the thick smoke and called out for help. Officer Kerry Whitten stepped in, found them and helped pull the victim outside.

Cpl. Mike Fitzgerald, Officer Robin Mendenhall, Officer Donnie Wright, Sgt. Brandon Wycoff
On October 30th, 2005, Officer Donnie Wright responded to a shooting in progress at 29 North Lakewood Avenue. Officer Wright located a woman in the parking lot that had been shot several times. As he was helping her, he was fired upon. Officer Wright took cover and called for more officers. Containment was set up, but they didnâ€™t know the location of the shooter. The victim was still in the kill-zone suffering from multiple gun shot wounds. Officer Wright moved from his cover and forced entry into an apartment, allowing for access to her. Officer Robin Mendenhall, Officer Mike Fitzgerald and Sgt. Brandon Wykoff moved through the apartment to her location. They went to her aid while she lay helplessly in the kill-zone. Officer Mendenhall and Fitzgerald moved her to the apartment while Sgt. Wykoff provided cover. Thanks to their bravery, she was rescued from an attempted homicide in progress.

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