Oakland County (MI) Deputy Receives November 2018 Officer of the Month Award

Washington, DC—The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has named Deputy Michael Miles, of the Oakland County (MI) Sheriff’s Office, as the recipient of its Officer of the Month Award for November 2018.

During the early morning hours of January 28, 2018, Deputy Miles was on patrol in the Orion Township area. At around 2:30 am, a car traveling at a high speed passed him, so the he turned his patrol vehicle around in pursuit of the speeding vehicle.

Deputy Miles activated his lights and sirens as he attempted to catch up to the vehicle. He saw the fleeing vehicle lose control on a gravel road and crash into a wooded area, flipping and landing on the driver’s side. The vehicle quickly burst into flames with the driver trapped inside.

Deputy Miles arrived at the burning vehicle and immediately checked on the driver, who was still conscious. Using his expandable baton, the deputy broke the glass sunroof and began pulling the driver out of the car. The driver’s large height and weight, as well as his broken leg, made it difficult to extract him from the car, but Deputy Miles was able to finally drag him away from the burning vehicle. Responding emergency units soon arrived to help the driver.

“This is a reminder of the types of incidents our deputies can encounter each and every day,” said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard. “While our deputy had been in pursuit of this speeding vehicle, it was [his] instinct to risk [his] own life to save this individual from a burning vehicle. If not for the quick action of our deputies, this individual may have not survived this incident.”

“Pulling someone out of a burning car takes extreme heroism, which Deputy Miles displayed,” Memorial Fund Chief Executive Officer Craig W. Floyd said. “This suspect owes his life to the deputy and we’re honored to give Deputy Miles the Memorial Fund’s Officer of the Month Award for November 2018.”

Located in the nation’s capital, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement officers. The Memorial Fund’s Officer of the Month Award Program began in 1996 and recognizes federal, state, and local officers who distinguish themselves through exemplary law enforcement service and devotion to duty.

Deputy Michael Miles, along with the other Officer of the Month Award recipients for 2018, will be honored at a special awards ceremony in Washington, DC, in 2019.

Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit organization dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement and making it safer for those who serve. The Memorial Fund maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, which contains the names of 21,541 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now building the new National Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of American law enforcement by providing visitors a “walk in the shoes” experience. The Museum is working to expand and enrich the relationship shared by law enforcement and the community through the Museum’s educational journeys, immersive exhibitions, and insightful programs. For more information, visit www.LawMemorial.org.