OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office honored deputies, first responders, and local citizens at its annual Peace Officers Memorial Day Awards Ceremony on Wednesday.
The ceremony recognized those who went above and beyond in moments of crisis.
The event celebrated acts of heroism ranging from split-second decisions to quiet bravery.
Dozens of awards were presented, including to several K-9 deputies and community members.
The Command Officer of the Year Award went to Sgt. Joseph Ashley, who received three honors for his actions during the Splashpad active-shooter incident in Rochester Hills on June 15, 2024.
Ashley provided lifesaving aid, led SWAT operations, and coordinated a swift response after a gunman wounded 10 people.
“We’re just here to help. We are servants,” said Ashley after the awards ceremony. “We took an oath to serve our community, and our leadership has set that example for us. We’re just here to be a helpful hand in the community.”
Among the community honorees was Allyson Dale, recipient of the Citizen Citation Award. Dale raised more than $20,000 to purchase six ballistic vests for the sheriff’s K-9 unit. Each vest costs about $3,600.
“Very, very honored and grateful…not expecting that,” Dale said. “It really should go to all the people who donated lots and lots of money for the vests. I know that all the K-9 guys and their dogs are very grateful.”
Dale has since founded the K-9 Defense Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to providing additional protective equipment for the department’s canine officers. Dale said she hopes to raise even more money to buy as many ballistic vests for K-9 units as possible.
The Valor Citation was presented to Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Bradley Reckling’s family.
On June 22, 2024, Deputy Reckling made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty while doing surveillance work on stolen vehicles.
During the operation, Deputy Reckling identified a stolen vehicle, and without warning, the suspect opened fire, shooting and killing him.
The three suspects fled the scene but were caught a short time later. They are still in custody, facing multiple charges, including murder of a peace officer.
