Police Advisory Committee recognizes nine individuals for service to community

Zack Briggs Evergreen reporter

Friends, family and men in blue convened Tuesday evening in Pullman City Hall to recognize the accomplishments of nine individuals.

Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins presented seven police officers, a police records specialist and a WSU graduate student with awards for demonstrating positive actions that benefited the local community.

“I had just gone into Walmart to get hangers,” said Alissa Miller, who aided Pullman Police last November in the arrest of two suspects who allegedly robbed her friend at gunpoint. Miller, a WSU anthropology student and instructor, spotted the suspects at the Pullman Walmart attempting to use her friend’s stolen credit cards.

“The actions of Alissa Miller not only led to the identification and arrest of the suspects responsible for committing this serious crime, but her actions have likely prevented an unknown number of other similar crimes and saved other Pullman residents from being victimized,” Jenkins said.

Miller said she felt obliged to help her friend and was happy to have contributed to the safety of the community.

Several members emphasized the safety of law enforcement and fire department. Awards were presented to Pullman Police officers Wade Winegardner, Chris Engle, Ruben Harris and Ryan McNannay, Records Specialist Emily Brashear, Sgt. Dan Dornes and Cmdr. Chris Tennant.

Sgt. Dan Hargraves was named “Law Enforcement Officer of the Year” by the Post 52 American Legion for his leadership as detective bureau supervisor.

Hargraves, a 15-year law enforcement veteran, said he had no clue he was going to receive an award. Despite the surprise, Hargraves remained humble, saying he was not the only one to be praised. He said it is those he oversees in the field who deserve such recognition.

“I felt a little undeserving of it because it was my guys that did it,” he said. “I’ll share it with them and explain that, as a whole, it’s about what we as a whole have accomplished.”

Hargraves leaves today to the FBI academy in Virginia, where he will be participating in a training program along with hundreds of other officers from across the U.S.