Mesquite, TX – September 30, 2020 – An organization is only as good as the people that work in it and the Mesquite Police Department (MPD) is no exception. Police Chief Charles Cato and his team have made it one of their primary goals to foster positive relationships between first responders and the citizens they serve and protect.
Below are just a few examples of officers that have recently received thanks from the community for going above and beyond to achieve this mission.
Officer Joseph Miegel
Earlier this year, a community member was involved in truck versus pedestrian accident. One of the first voices she remembers hearing while lying on the stretcher in the ambulance was Officer Joseph Miegel. Even though it was dark and raining, Officer Miegel took her groceries and vehicle home. He even met with her son and husband to let them know what happened and that she was on her way to the hospital. Officer Miegel went above and beyond that night and brought comfort to someone while they were going through a terrible incident.
Officer Jeffrey Anderson, Officer Jordan Berry, Officer Daniel Everett, Officer Preston Hoke, Officer Danielle Larrison, Officer Jeffrey Wilson
At the end of June, Officers Danielle Larrison, Jeffrey Wilson, Jeffrey Anderson and Daniel Everett responded to a mental health call at a restaurant on Town East Boulevard. Several citizens called saying a man was running in the street, yelling and trying to break into cars. When officers arrived, the man saw them and ran from the restaurant parking lot. Officers already had knowledge of the man and had made a plan to not chase after him. Instead, they were able to get him to go through the parking lots and safely get to his nearby apartment. Later that evening, there were more calls that the man was back on Town East Boulevard near IH 635 and running around. When Officer Larrison, Officers Jordan Berry and Preston Hoke arrived they were able to safely contain the man without chasing him. Officer Berry then took the man to Parkland Hospital.
Officers at the Mesquite Police Department go through many hours of training including crisis intervention. During both calls, they used this training perfectly to keep the man, other citizens and themselves safe.
Public Safety Professional Tyler Anderson
At the end of July, Public Safety Professional (PSP) Tyler Anderson noticed a car that wasn’t running on the service road of IH 30 near Big Town Boulevard. PSP Anderson pulled over to help when he noticed the driver was having a severe medical emergency and immediately called for an ambulance. The driver was drenched in sweat and unable to speak. They appeared to have been in the hot car for long time and they were extremely overheated and confused. After being taken to the hospital, it was later discovered that the driver suffered from dementia and was missing out of Arkansas. Without PSP Anderson’s good timing and quick action, the driver would not have made it in the hot car for much longer.
Police Chief Cato said, “I am honored to highlight the fantastic work that has been accomplished by members of the Mesquite Police Department. They are just a few examples of the incredible men and women, both sworn and non-sworn, who perform their duties in such an exemplary manner day in and day out. Their willingness to engage with the community positively is the key to our success.”