HARRISBURG, November 13, 2024 – Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, announced the creation of a new award to honor people who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of Pennsylvania or other significant societal, public, or private endeavors.
“We have heroes living in our commonwealth every day,” McClinton said. “Whether they are discovering new treatments to manage disease, helping conquer food insecurity, or keeping our communities safe, the Speaker’s Meritorious Service Medal is a way for the legislature to recognize some of their incredible contributions to our commonwealth.”
McClinton said the inaugural group of Speaker’s Medal recipients are nine police officers who responded to a mass shooting in Philadelphia’s Kingsessing neighborhood the night before the Fourth of July in 2023. The officers each put themselves in harm’s way, rendering care to the injured, securing the area to keep residents safe, and arresting the gunman.
The officers who were recognized in the House chamber during the final scheduled meeting of the 2023-24 legislative session are:
-Patrol Officer Richard Dillard
-Patrol Officer Laquisha Robinson
-Patrol Officer Samyra Pacha
-Patrol Officer Natasha Chestnut
-Patrol Officer Raymond Fountain
-Patrol Officer Masoeli Musogne
-Patrol Officer Ryan Howell
-Sergeant Jeffery Donahue
-Officer Anthony Curtosi (was unable to attend)
“The brave officers that the state House recognized today are representative of the selflessness we see from people across Pennsylvania,” McClinton said. “They are heroes in my community, and we thank them for their service.”
In addition to honoring the officers, the House also recognized state Rep. Joe Kerwin, R-Dauphin, who recently returned from a 10-month deployment to East Africa as a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. While deployed, Kerwin commanded a 131-soldier unit tasked with the security of an austere airbase.
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