WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Life saving and service awards, as well as promotions, were among the honors given out at the Wichita County Sheriff’s Office Quarterly Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 24.

Sheriff David Duke and the Wichita County Sheriff ‘s Office gave out four promotions, eight life saving awards and 12 service awards at the ceremony, as well as a presentation of service weapon, which was awarded to retired Captain Randy Elliott.

Corporals Andrew Bolf and Conner Chancellor received life saving awards for saving an inmate from choking; an act of heroism that Sheriff Duke says should be honored.

“50,000 people die every day doing all kinds, and sitting in jail is one of those ways. So, our job as the sheriff’s office and the county is to take care of these inmates, not let them hang themselves, hurt themselves and die. We got to take care of them and get them the medical care,” Sheriff David Duke, Wichita County Sheriffs Office, says, “We don’t hurt anybody, and we don’t want to hurt anybody. We just want to make sure we take care of them.“

Wichita County Sheriff’s Deputy Johnny Routon, who received the Tessa Price Award for making 85 driving while intoxicated arrests, says he does what he does for public safety and not for the honor. 

“One of the first persons I’ve seen pass away from a wreck smelled of alcohol and I did CPR on that person and ever time I compressed on him, I could smell the alcohol and that’s something that’s always stuck with me,” Johnny Routon, Wichita County Sheriff’s Deputy, says, “so I’d like to catch people like that before they kill somebody or kill themselves. And that’s my biggest takeaway from doing what I do, is to catch those people before they catch a pole or another car.”

A 2023 State of Texas Law Enforcement Achievement Award was also given to Corporal Joseph Price for exceeding the normal expectations of job performance for public service.