Governor Pete Ricketts and Nebraska State Patrol Colonel John Bolduc honored troopers for their work in relaying potentially live-saving medicine across the state in early June.
“I’m really pleased to be able to recognize these troopers for their great work in getting that important medicine delivered to Colorado,” said Governor Ricketts. “These troopers worked hard to help someone they didn’t even know, which is something the Nebraska State Patrol does each and every day.”
The medicine was destined for a children’s hospital in Colorado, but due to inclement weather conditions that prevented flights out of Omaha, it required ground transportation. A relay of multiple NSP troopers carried the medicine to North Platte where it was then flown to Colorado. The medicine originated from Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.
The troopers, who facilitated this operation of delivering the medicine to North Platte, include:
Lt. Matt Sutter – Troop A (Omaha)
Sgt. Justin Buhlke – Troop D (North Platte)
Trooper Tom Hicken – Troop A (Omaha)
Trooper Sean Velte – Troop H (Lincoln)
Trooper Kevin Whetstine – Troop C (Grand Island)
Trooper Joshua Emhovick – Troop D (North Platte)
Trooper Joe Flasnick – Troop C (Grand Island)
Trooper Warren Gibson – Troop C (Grand Island)
“I’d like to thank the Governor for honoring this group of troopers. We talk a lot about teamwork within the Nebraska State Patrol,” said Colonel John Bolduc. “This is a prime example of what can be done through teamwork and quick action. These troopers were told that a child needed help and they jumped into action.”
“We view our responsibility as bigger than just a group of troopers executing a task on a given night,” said Lt. Matt Sutter. “If there’s a chance that our actions can have that positive impact for years to come, then we’ve got to do what it takes to get the job done.”