WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Nov. 5, 2014 — West Liberty University Campus Police Officer Michael Makris has been awarded a Silver Star for Bravery from the American Association of Chiefs of Police and the American Police Hall of Fame (APHF).
“We’re proud to congratulate Officer Makris on this impressive award. The Silver Star for Bravery is a national honor that points to his dedication and exceptional bravery in the line of duty,” said President Robin C. Capehart.
His award was issued due to his actions taken on Sept. 12, 2014, after he was informed by Ohio County dispatch that there was a male with a gun, in a blue car stalking a female in the Town of West Liberty. Makris observed a blue vehicle that matched the description of the call and proceeded to approach the suspect, with his duty weapon drawn.
At that point, Makris ordered the suspect to place his hands on the steering wheel. As he did that, the female in the car informed Makris that the suspect had a gun. The male suspect then turned toward Makris with the gun in his hand, Makris knocked the gun out of his hand, holstered his duty weapon, removed the suspect from the vehicle, forced him to the ground and handcuffed him.
Makris proceeded to search the suspect for a secondary weapon and identification. The gun, which turned out to be a BB gun, and a knife were retrieved from the vehicle.
“We congratulate Officer Makris. He has brought credit to himself and the West Liberty University Campus Police Department,” said Chief Jack L. Rinchich, president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, located in Titusville, Fla.
WLU Executive Vice President and General Counsel John Davis, who oversees the campus police department, said, “It’s amazing that Mike decided — in a heartbeat — not to use deadly force to protect the female victim and himself. This incident underscores the true risks that law enforcement officers everywhere face every day, every shift.”
Davis presented Makris with the award at noon gathering held today in the Boyle Conference Center.
The Silver Star is awarded for extraordinary heroism performed in the line of duty. It distinguishes an officer whose act of courage goes above and beyond the call of duty. As of Nov. 4, the APHF has issued 23 Silver Star for Bravery awards this year.
Begun in 1972, the national awards program last awarded a Silver Star for Bravery in West Virginia in 2012 when it issued one in Glasgow, W.Va. and a second one in Martinsburg, W.Va., according to APHF awards secretary Janet Caron.
A resident of the Elm Grove neighborhood of Wheeling, Makris retired from the Wheeling Police Department before joining WLU as a full-time campus police officer.
West Liberty University Campus Police is dedicated to providing excellence in service to the campus community, as it provides 24-hour-a-day patrol to the grounds, parking lots, residence halls, academic buildings and the faculty housing area.
For more information on the WLU Campus Police, please visit its webpage or call 304.336.8021.
To view WTRF TV-7’s coverage of the Silver Star presentation, please click here.