Flagler County Sheriff Jim Manfre on Monday honored three employees — two sworn and a civilian — for "excelling and going above and beyond in their jobs."
Sgt. Michael Van Buren was named the agency's Deputy of the Quarter. Deputy Justin Bailey was honored as Detention Deputy of the Quarter. Sheri Gopi, executive assistant to Chief Deputy Jeff Hoffman, was named Civilian Employee of the Quarter.
The three employees were recognized during a ceremony at the agency's Operations Center in Bunnell.
Van Buren was honored for his actions on Sept. 14 when he was called to a Palm Coast home where a woman was displaying a gun. Deputies later discovered it was a pellet gun.
For several tense minutes, the woman stood on her pool deck and refused multiple commands to drop what appeared to be a handgun.
Van Buren was the highest-ranking deputy at the scene. When the woman walked outside her screened pool enclosure, Van Buren deployed his department-issued Taser, which knocked the woman to the floor so deputies could handcuff her. The woman was taken into custody without any shots being fired.
"All the training in the world doesn't replace courage," Manfre said, speaking about Van Buren. "Deputies believe she was trying to commit 'suicide by cop,' and she nearly succeeded."
After Monday's ceremony, Van Buren said that was the closest he has ever come to "taking another person's life."
"In fact, another deputy on the scene was halfway through pulling the trigger on his gun to shoot the woman," he said.
Bailey was praised for saving his neighbor's life after he suffered a medical episode in his bedroom and couldn't breathe.
Bailey kicked in the door and found the man gasping for air, Manfre said.
"Thank you for your service on behalf of the community and the gentleman you saved," Manfre told Bailey.
Gopie was honored for assuming additional responsibility while the agency was short-staffed. Manfre praised Gopie for her can-do attitude and for always having a smile on her face.