On May 22, 2025, Attorney General James Uthmeier recognized thirty-six law enforcement officers as the inaugural recipients of the Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Team of the Year award. These officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office were honored for their response to an attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump.
Attorney General Uthmeier praised the team: “The men and women of this team exemplify the very best of law enforcement—swift, selfless, and steadfast in the face of unimaginable danger,” he said. “They upheld the rule of law when it mattered most. Florida proudly honors them as our inaugural Law Enforcement Team of the Year.”
The recognition was for their actions on September 15, 2024, when they apprehended Ryan Routh, who allegedly attempted to assassinate Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. After fleeing, Routh was captured in Martin County due to coordinated efforts by these officers.
The team consisted of deputies, detectives, supervisors, tactical officers, dispatchers from Martin County Sheriff’s Office and one off-duty special agent from Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Their roles ranged from intelligence sharing to tactical execution during the operation.
This recognition underscores Florida law enforcement’s professionalism and aligns with Attorney General Uthmeier’s support for maintaining safety and security in Florida.
Members recognized include:
Christine Baker
Ana Beiro
Sergeant Dillon Bellas
Rhonda Bernatski
Deputy Gedeon Brenovil
Kirsten Burkey
Lieutenant Yesenia Carde
Detective Aaron Chandler
Tawnya Collins
Master Deputy Erick Day
Deputy Cody Dionne
Lieutenant Travis Dykes
Deputy Edward Elliott
Sergeant Dominic Ferrusi
Deputy Brent Hitchcock
Victoria Johnson
Detective Shayne Kennedy
Sergeant Sam Kimmel
Deputy Wyatt Kirkham
Major Joshua Kloster
Agent Austin Laufer
Sergeant Garrett Lott
Natalie McFadden
Deputy Alex Mercado
Corporal Matt Mosley
Detective Angelo Palmieri
Deputy Joshua Pease
Sergeant Crystal Nash
Deputy James Sanders
Deputy Nicholas Shaw
Sergeant Bradley Spencer
Deputy Nicholas Thomas
Sergeant Steve Walter
Captain Gavin Werner
Corporal Cameron White
Sergeant David Yun
Agent Austin Laufer acted while off duty; others are from Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
