LANSING — Two local troopers and a Northern Michigan MSP post were honored in a ceremony on Wednesday.
Trooper Keegan Taylor, MSP Houghton Lake Post, received the Bravery Award, Trooper Corey Hebner, MSP Gaylord Post, received the 2023 Colonel Etue Community Impact Award, and the Houghton Lake Post received the Community Policing Outstanding Achievement Award Honorable Mention.
Trooper Taylor’s award was in recognition of actions taken on Feb. 3, 2023.
Taylor and an MSP cadet responded to a drunk driver who was stuck in a ditch. When Taylor ordered the driver out of the car, he said the driver tried to pull out a gun.
Taylor attempted to stop the suspect, but said the driver able to unholster the gun, shouting “Shoot me or I’ll shoot you.”
MSP says Taylor made the tough decision to protect himself and the cadet, shooting and killing the suspect.
Trooper Hebner’s award was in recognition of years of service to the community.
Hebner, a 28-year veteran, is the Community Service Trooper for a five-county area. He’s an advisor on several boards aimed at keeping kids drug-free and a board member for the Northern Opioid Response Consortium.
Hebner is also a program instructor for MSP’s T.E.A.M. (Teaching, Educating, And Mentoring) program and a panel member for the National Child Passenger Safety Board. He’s credited with creating an 11-county injury and trauma prevention group that brings hospitals, child abuse advocates and community members together to prevent infant trauma and death. The group also provides public life jacket stations and water safety awareness at local beaches.
The MSP Houghton Lake Post was honored for their annual “Shop with a Hero” program.
2023 was the 21st anniversary of the program at the Houghton Lake Post. Over the years, personnel have raised more than $100,000 and served over 1,100 children.
The event to help low-income families buy Christmas gifts is an amazing community partnership between law enforcement, businesses and other organizations.
