Honoring heroic actions: MPD honors officers, citizens who went above & beyond

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The Milwaukee Police Department on Wednesday night, May 14th will pay tribute to officers and citizens who have helped others beyond what is expected.

The ceremony will take place on Wednesday evening at the Police Academy off of Teutonia Avenue.

87 law enforcement officers and 15 citizens will receive merit awards for their actions.

Conway Nimmer, Kenneth Daugherty and Andrew Moutry are three of the officers being recognized on Wednesday night for risking their lives in order to save others.

"We're responsible for the community. We're here to help," Nimmer said.

They didn't have to go far to do it!

On a cold February 4th, an apartment building right next door to MPD's District 4 police station on Silver Spring Drive was on fire.

"We made our way to the apartment units and the ones we didn't get an answer at -- we started forcing doors open," Andrew Moutry said.

"The smoke, it was so strong. Yell for anybody, come back out, go to the next apartment, knock, don't get an answer, do the same thing all over again. We didn't find anybody in there but we wanted to make sure," Daugherty said.

Officer Nimmer says they did what needed to be done -- and says he'd do it again.

"Yes, I would. I have two daughters and I would hope that somebody would go back in looking for them," Nimmer said.

As for the merit award...

"I'm very honored. Very honored. You know, cops come out -- they do a lot of hard work every day and some of them don't get recognized. We want to take it on their part," Daugherty said.

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Among the crowd on Wednesday evening were a father and son duo.

"I'm grateful and honored," Milwaukee Police Officer Eric Magee said.

Magee is used to being in intense situations -- but last fall, it was what happened to him off-duty with his son that is the reason they were honored at the ceremony.

"Initially, I was thinking 'this cannot be happening,'" Magee said.

It was November 27th, 2013.

Magee and his son were sitting inside a barbershop -- waiting to get haircuts. Another customer was in the seat, when suddenly the customer turned into a criminal, and turned a gun on the barber.

"When the barber tried to move to the back, that's when the guy shot the barber in the leg," Magee said.

"He turned around and he pointed the gun at my dad and said, 'give me everything you've got,'" Jamari Magee said.

Eric Magee handed over some money, and an iPad, but the suspect wanted more.

"He said 'give me everything or else I'm going to shoot your boy' -- and he pointed the gun at my head," Jamari Magee said.

"I again, reassured him that I did not have anything else," Eric Magee said.

They were able to talk the suspect down, and he ran from the barbershop. He was later arrested.

The father and son rushed the barber to the hospital.

"Very scary. I felt like I was dreaming," Jamari Magee said.

"My son, he's the real hero here. I was just doing my job," Eric Magee said.