FARGO - Responding to a disturbance call last November, Fargo police officers Jason Moszer and Matthew Siders found two children trapped and screaming inside a burning apartment bedroom.
Risking their own lives, the two officers entered the room and saved the children from the fire, and then helped extinguish the blaze in the apartment.
For their efforts that night, Moszer and Siders were awarded the department's Silver Star Medal, among the 10 medals given to police officers at an awards ceremony Thursday.
At the ceremony, Police Chief Keith Ternes said all officers recognized had gone above and beyond what is normally required of them.
"Some of the events these officers were summoned to - we don't teach people to run into a burning building, we don't teach people to save lives," Ternes said. "They did that because of who they are."
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Other medals given at the ceremony included:
- Life Saving Medal: Officers Susan Dealing, Sam Bollman, Christopher Bergem, Michelle Voeltz and Joseph Johnson.
- Combat Cross Medal: Officer Dane Ronning.
- Citizen's Recognition Award: Robert Charles, for helping police locate a wanted fugitive.
- Chief's Medal: Det. Christopher Nichtern, for spearheading efforts to implement the Fargo Sexual Offender program.
- Police Officer of the Year: Office Rachel Jordan, school resource officer at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Sam Benshoof at (701) 241-5535
