07-02-2025
MN State Patrol honors Good Samaritans, troopers, law enforcement for heroic acts
The Brief
The Minnesota State Patrol celebrates heroic acts at the annual State Patrol Awards Ceremony Thursday.
Honorees included troopers, dispatchers and staff, partner law enforcement agencies, and Good Samaritans.
MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - It can be a dangerous mission on any emergency call for Minnesota State Patrol troopers, but some rescue efforts stand out. FOX 9 has reported on several of those stories throughout the year. Some of the heroic actions of people who jumped in to help save lives were honored Thursday.
READ MORE: Good Samaritan helps pull driver from fiery crash on I-94
The backstory
A fiery crash, an icy rescue, and a speeding runaway car are just a few of the critical emergencies that ended in a successful rescue this past year.
The brave men and women who assisted in saving lives during those incidents, and many more, were celebrated at the annual Minnesota State Patrol Awards Ceremony at the Mendakota Country Club on Thursday. These heroes are not just state troopers, they are dispatchers, other law enforcement agencies, and the public who happened to be in the right place at the right time.
READ MORE: Truck crash, icy river rescue: 'It looked like a bomb went off'
Other awards
Technical Sgt. Kyle Backer from the Saint Cloud District was awarded Trooper of the Year. Trooper Gustavo Culbeaux from the West Metro District was given the Eagle Squadron Award for the most DWI arrests. Lt. Kevin Skalsky from East Metro District was presented with the Leadership Award.
Read the full list of award recipients here.
