DPS Recognizes Service and Bravery at June PSC Meeting

AUSTIN – Members of the Public Safety Commission (PSC), along with Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Colonel Freeman F. Martin, recognized acts of service and bravery at the June PSC meeting today at DPS Headquarters in Austin. PSC Commissioners and Colonel Martin presented two Javier Arana Jr. Top Trooper Awards, two Adolph Thomas Distinguished Service Awards, one Director’s Citation, one Director’s Award, seven Lifesaving Awards and one Unit Citation.

“Every award presented today tells a story of dedication, sacrifice and service to others,” said DPS Colonel Freeman F Martin. “Whether through acts of courage, exceptional job performance or a commitment to helping those in need, these recipients exemplify the values that make Texas strong. We are proud to recognize their contributions and celebrate their accomplishments.” 

The following people were recognized:

JAVIER ARANA JR. TOP TROOPER AWARD: 

In April, DPS held the 14th annual Javier Arana Jr. Top Trooper Competition at the DPS Tactical Training Facility in Florence. During the multi-day competition, Troopers were tested on driving and firearms skills, rigorous physical conditioning, endurance and job knowledge through nine events. Each year, one male and one female Trooper earn the Javier Arana Jr. Top Trooper Award, named after fallen Trooper Javier Arana Jr., who participated in the inaugural competition in 2012. 140 Troopers took part, with Trooper Brody Telfer (Belton) being named the top male competitor and Trooper Melanie Moreno (Seguin) taking home the top female competitor title. In recognition of winning this year’s competition, Troopers Telfer and Moreno are each awarded the Javier Arana Jr. Top Trooper Award. 

ADOLPH THOMAS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD:

In 1970, Adolph Thomas was the first African American to graduate from the DPS Training Academy. During his career, he was promoted through the ranks from trooper to narcotics sergeant, narcotics captain, commander of the Training Academy and chief of staff services before his retirement in 1995. Over his DPS career and even afterward as a civilian criminal justice instructor, Chief Thomas excelled at mentoring fellow employees, training others and civic engagement. 

The Adolph Thomas Distinguished Service Award was created to honor DPS employees who display excellence and distinguish themselves in those same three areas.

Erminia Quiroz (Driver License Division) is an outstanding leader whose expertise, mentorship and dedication have strengthened the Customer Service Center’s operations and customer service capabilities. She played a critical role in implementing new technology, expanding customer capacity and training more than 100 new employees. Beyond her duties, she contributes more than 600 volunteer hours annually, leading community fundraising efforts that have generated nearly $200,000 for local programs and charitable causes. Her commitment to public service, leadership and community engagement reflects great credit upon herself, the Driver License Division and DPS.

In recognition of her distinguished service, Erminia Quiroz (Austin) was awarded the 2026 Adolph Thomas Distinguished Service Award.

Sergeant Kelly Merker (Texas Highway Patrol) has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, professionalism and dedication throughout his career. Known for his integrity and team-first approach, Merker has earned the respect of peers, direct reports and supervisors alike. Since his promotion to sergeant, he has successfully led and developed his personnel, resulting in top regional performance in key public safety measures, including stolen vehicle recoveries and criminal apprehensions. He has also contributed to statewide initiatives through his service on the Texas Highway Patrol’s crime/crash analysis committee and represented DPS with distinction through community outreach, educational programs and charitable events. His leadership, commitment to excellence and service to both DPS and the community reflect great credit upon himself and DPS.

In recognition of his distinguished service, Sergeant Kelly Merker (Seguin) was awarded the 2026 Adolph Thomas Distinguished Service Award.

DIRECTOR’S CITATION:

On Nov. 5, 2025, Trooper Melissa Flanigan (Tahoka) responded to a report of a critically injured subject who had fallen approximately 75 feet into a canyon along the Caprock Escarpment. Trooper Flanigan immediately recognized the urgency of the situation and the need for immediate medical intervention.

Despite extreme terrain hazards, environmental risks and the absence of established access routes, Trooper Flanigan descended the canyon to reach the victim. While operating in this hazardous environment and sustaining injury herself, Trooper Flanigan provided continuous lifesaving medical care, coordinated multi-agency response efforts and maintained effective communication and command throughout a prolonged rescue operation. Trooper Flanigan’s perseverance and judgment were instrumental in stabilizing the victim until they could be flown to safety.  

In recognition of her significant and decisive response to a life-threatening situation, Trooper Melissa Flanigan was awarded the Director’s Citation.

LIFESAVING AWARD:

On Feb. 26, 2026, Trooper Robert Johnson (Orange) arrived at a single‑vehicle motorcycle crash. He saw the rider had been ejected and was lying near a utility pole with traumatic, life‑threatening bleeding. Recognizing the critical nature of the injuries, Trooper Johnson acted without hesitation. He retrieved his medical bag and immediately applied two tourniquets, successfully stopping the hemorrhage. He then applied gauze to control further blood loss. Throughout the incident, Trooper Johnson maintained continuous communication with the injured rider, offering reassurance and keeping him alert and calm. He coordinated with other citizens, provided directions and maintained order until additional emergency responders arrived. His calm, focused and composed demeanor under extreme pressure was instrumental in stabilizing the scene and saving the rider’s life.

In recognition of his significant and decisive response to a life-threatening situation resulting in the saving of a life, Trooper Robert Johnson was awarded the Lifesaving Award. 

LIFESAVING & DIRECTOR’S AWARD: 

On Dec. 15, 2025, Texas Highway Patrol personnel and Palestine Police Department officers were conducting a live‑fire exercise at the Palestine Firearms Range when Trooper Isiah Pettigrew was severely injured during one of the scenarios.

Trooper Clint Sharp (Athens) and Palestine Police Department Corporal Andrew Link took immediate action, following their training, keeping Trooper Pettigrew calm and assessing his injury. Then transporting Trooper Pettigrew to a medical center in a patrol unit while continuously monitoring his body temperature and level of consciousness. 

Due to the swift, coordinated and expert medical response provided by Trooper Sharp and Corporal Link, Trooper Pettigrew survived his injuries and ultimately made a full recovery.

In recognition of their significant and decisive response to a life-threatening situation resulting in the saving of a life, Trooper Clint Sharp is hereby awarded the Lifesaving Award, and Corporal Andrew Link is hereby awarded the Director's Award.

LIFESAVING AWARD:

On Dec. 5, 2025, Trooper Christian Fernandez (Odessa) demonstrated extraordinary courage and decisive action while returning from an operation in El Paso, Texas. While traveling on Interstate 20, he saw a vehicle on the shoulder and stopped to help. He found a driver in severe medical distress—choking, vomiting, disoriented and struggling to breathe. Trooper Fernandez quickly learned from an active phone call that the driver had been exposed to hydrogen sulfide, a highly toxic gas capable of causing rapid unconsciousness and death. Realizing how dire the situation was, Trooper Fernandez called EMS. However, because it would take some time for them to arrive, he knew he would need to act. Trooper Fernandez assessed the driver’s condition and decided to drive the subject to the hospital himself – fully aware of the contamination risk. Upon arrival, the subject was in severe distress and required immediate attention to open his airway. Doctors say Trooper Fernandez’s rapid response and immediate transport saved the subject’s life.

In recognition of his significant and decisive response to a life-threatening situation resulting in the saving of a life, Trooper Christian Fernandez was awarded the Lifesaving Award.

LIFESAVING AWARD:

On Nov. 21, 2025, Trooper Justin Basso (Gainesville) was patrolling on Interstate Highway 35 in Cooke Co. when he clocked a red BMW traveling over 100 miles per hour. Trooper Basso pursued the speeding vehicle for a short distance with the intention of making a traffic stop. Moments later, the BMW entered an active construction lane and violently crashed into a bed of metal rebar. The vehicle rolled and caught fire. Trooper Basso found the driver trapped behind the steering wheel. As flames became visible, he attempted to remove the driver but discovered their foot was pinned by a piece of rebar that had penetrated the floorboard. With fire and smoke intensifying, Trooper Basso made the critical decision to pull the driver through the window, freeing his foot from the rebar to prevent him from burning alive. The vehicle became fully engulfed in flames and subsequently exploded. Trooper Basso’s swift and courageous actions resulted in the driver surviving with minor injuries to his foot and arms.

In recognition of his significant and decisive response to a life-threatening situation resulting in the saving of a life, Trooper Justin Basso was awarded the Lifesaving Award. 

LIFESAVING AWARD:

On Sept. 7, 2025, while conducting patrol enforcement in Ector Co., Texas, Corporal Thomas Flores (Odessa) was pursuing a group of fleeing motorcycles who had disregarded multiple traffic control devices. Moments later, one of the riders collided with a pickup truck after running a red light. Corporal Flores found the rider in a grassy area near a gas station, critically injured with a traumatic amputation of the right leg and severe damage to the left leg. Demonstrating immediate composure and decisive action, he began assessing the victim and quickly applied the first tourniquet. His swift response and effective use of lifesaving training helped stabilize the rider until EMS arrived. 

In recognition of his significant and decisive response to a life-threatening situation, Trooper Thomas Flores was awarded the Lifesaving Award. 

LIFESAVING AWARD:

On July 4, 2025, DPS’ Aircraft Operations Division (AOD) responded to catastrophic flooding and widespread destruction in Kerr Co. Despite severe weather, heavy rain and poor visibility, DPS air crews immediately launched to support rescue operations. Lieutenant Pilots Robert Dorman, Frank Gunnels and Dylan Burke and Lieutenant Pilot Blake Mican, Tactical Flight Officer (TFO) Dustin Gardner and TFO Nicholas Duhon departed to conduct hoist rescue missions in the flood‑stricken region.

Upon arrival, both crews began responding to multiple distress calls along the Guadalupe River. They quickly configured their aircraft for hoist operations, conducted aerial surveys, relayed critical updates and located numerous individuals in immediate danger. One crew rescued a family trapped inside a river bend, including an eight‑month‑pregnant woman, a toddler, the father and their dog. Another crew rescued several victims who had been stranded in treetops for more than five hours. During one rescue, TFO Duhon and a female victim fell from a tree; however, he secured her, prevented her from being swept into the floodwaters and ensured both were safely hoisted out. The crew continued performing rescues and deployed TFO Duhon into Camp Mystic and the River Inn Resort to assess the welfare of trapped campers and residents, providing vital information to the command post.

Both air crews remained in the area for two days, conducting reconnaissance, damage assessments and victim searches. Their efforts resulted in multiple successful rescues, provided essential intelligence to ground teams and prevented further loss of life during one of the decade’s most severe weather events.

In recognition of their significant and decisive response to life-threatening situations resulting in the saving of lives, Lieutenant Pilots Robert Dorman (McKinney) Frank Gunnels (McKinney), Blake Mican (Houston) and Tactical Flight Officer Nicholas Duhon (Houston) were awarded the Lifesaving Award.

LIFESAVING AWARD:

On March 27, 2025, the Rio Grande Valley experienced catastrophic flooding after receiving up to 20 inches of rain in less than 24 hours. The unprecedented rainfall submerged roads, stranded drivers and prompted widespread emergency response. Several lives were lost. 

Multiple DPS aircraft were conducting damage assessments when air crews overheard radio traffic regarding two individuals clinging to vegetation in the flooded canal. Recognizing the urgent need for a hoist rescue, DPS Helicopter 108 crew Lieutenant Pilots Dustin Ponce (Edinburg), Brandon Palmer (Laredo) and Lieutenant Eric Herrera (Edinburg), a trained rescue swimmer, prepared for immediate deployment. While DPS Aircraft 118 continued providing aerial updates and supporting ground personnel, numerous attempts to reach the stranded individuals with flotation devices were unsuccessful. Lieutenant Pilots Ponce and Palmer, together with Lieutenant Herrera, launched and executed a high‑risk hoist rescue under hazardous conditions. Their coordinated actions resulted in the successful extraction of one of the stranded individuals, preventing further loss of life.

Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding the incident, additional fatalities were undoubtedly prevented due to the skill, courage and decisive actions of Lieutenant Pilots Ponce, Palmer and Lieutenant Herrera.

In recognition of their significant and decisive response to a life-threatening situation resulting in the saving of a life, Lieutenant Pilots Dustin Ponce, Brandon Palmer and Lieutenant Eric Herrera were awarded the Lifesaving Award. 

RECOGNITION:

At this year’s National Fusion Center Association Annual Training Event, Criminal Intelligence Analyst Kristen McKell (Austin) received the 2026 Dave Sobczyk Memorial Award recognizing her as the nation’s top Fusion Center analyst. In 2025, McKell played a pivotal role in supporting Texas’s suspicious activity reporting (SAR) mission. As lead analyst for the Texas School Safety Network, she trained 224 school safety professionals from 101 schools and law enforcement agencies. McKell also served as the lead analyst liaison in developing the new Texas Certification for Behavioral Threat Assessment Management Specialist (TX‑BTAM) course in partnership with DPS’ Criminal Intelligence Division BETA Program. Her expertise, dedication and service have significantly strengthened Texas’s SAR mission and reflect great credit on herself, the Homeland Security Division and DPS.

UNIT CITATION:

The Mail Print Graphics team is an invaluable asset to DPS. Though much of their work occurs behind the scenes, their creativity, professionalism and unwavering dedication greatly enhance the department’s ability to communicate, educate and engage with the people of Texas.

Their recent collaboration with the Media and Communications Office to produce the “Keeping Texans Safe” coloring and activity book exemplifies this commitment. After more than ten drafts, the team delivered an exceptional outreach tool, distributing more than 12,000 copies statewide to help teach children and families about safety in an engaging and meaningful way.

The team also played a pivotal role in the branding and design of the “One Pill Kills” campaign, ensuring its vital message reached Texans clearly and consistently. Their contributions also include printing materials for each graduating DPS class and supporting major press events, including Operation Lone Star briefings, governor-led announcements, and past presidential visits. Demonstrating both vision and craftsmanship, the team also designed the Legacy Hall mural, an enduring representation of DPS mission and spirit. 

Those commended for their hard work and dedication include Laura Alvarado, Tonya Atwood, Henry Castilleja, Landon Christen, Rene Coy, Steven Franks, Helga Freiberg Gwiasda, Robby Hajek, Steven Hernandez (posthumously), Michael Ledesma, Michael Lopez, Paige Meyer, Hat Nguyen, Janell Paiz, Manuel Parra, Dale Pederson, Donald Silvas, Darrien Thomas and Daniel Wilcox. 

They were hereby awarded the Unit Citation.

Please join us in congratulating all the award recipients. You can view additional photos here.

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(HQ 2026-064)