GREEN RIVER, WYOMING — During YWCA’s annual Run with the Badges 5K/10K community awareness event that took place last Saturday, to kick off National Crime Victims’ Week, many different officers were recognized and awarded for the work they do to keep Sweetwater County safe. Sweetwater County Attorney Dan Erramouspe presented the awards ceremony to all the amazing law enforcement officers we have in Sweetwater County.
Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sergeant Jeff Shaman was unable to make it, but he was awarded for a case he worked on that involved a young girl of violent sexual assault. He was able to able to communicate with the victim and able to get the story from her at the hospital. With the communication he shared with the victim and his dedication, an arrest was made within 24 hours.
Wyoming Highway Patrol Lt. Tyler Chapman was awarded for his outstanding work in crash investigations. No matter what crash it is, in bad or good weather, he is there. He took on a case about a double homicide on 191 and with his knowledge and determination, was able to bring closure to the victim’s families.
Green River Police Detective Kirkwood received an award for his dedication and hard work to help the victims of violent crimes. He took the lead for the shooting that happened last summer at the Embassy Tavern. Even though the shooter took his own life, Kirkwood didn’t stop. His level of dedication to his cases is amazing and he just kept going until the families of the victims and those involved had some sort of closure.
Rock Springs Police Officer Amber Siddoway was awarded for her dedication to every case she takes on as a parol officer. She was on the scene of the shooting at the Wyoming Club in January and quickly found the subject from the shooting.
During the awards ceremony, Executive Director Melinda Baas awarded YWCA employee/advocate Brittany Fisher for her service. Fisher has been an advocate for YWCA for 8 years and has moved up to lead advocate. After the police reports are made, YWCA steps in to aid in the victims of these crimes. The YWCA works proactively to transform individual lives through direct service and education and to change institutions through training and advocacy.
Thanks to all those that participated and especially to our law enforcement. According to the Office of Victims of Crime, “Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) has challenged the Nation to confront and remove barriers to achieving justice for all victims of crime. During NCVRW, we celebrate the accomplishments of the victims’ rights movement and reflect on how far we have come. Every April, OVC leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of NCVRW. We will observe the 2023 NCVRW between April 23–29. The 2023 theme—Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.—calls upon communities to amplify the voices of survivors and commit to creating an environment where survivors have the confidence that they will be heard, believed, and supported.”
