VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Officers from around the region were honored Saturday at the 18th annual Crime Line Top Cop Awards Dinner held in Virginia Beach.
An officer or team from each city was recognized, with one officer then chosen as the overall Top Cop for Hampton Roads.
This year, Virginia Beach Police Officer Ross Stolle received that honor.
Related: A 'NOBLE' honor: Norfolk Police chief nationally recognized for work in the community
He responded to a number of high-profile cases in 2017.
In December 2017, Stolle swam through frigid water to rescue a man who had been in a car that crashed. After getting the man to land, Stolle even dove back into the water to make sure no one was trapped in the car, which was submerged 10 to 12 feet at that point.
In another case, Stolle was on scene when an officer was shot while serving a search warrant. He grabbed his medical bag and helped apply bandages until medics could get there. He also took on the role of rescuer in another incident where there was a stabbing victim.
Stolle is quick to tell you he wasn't working alone at any of these scenes, but Sgt. Daniel Wolski, who nominated him, says it's not chance that Stolle finds himself in these life-saving situations.
"He goes above and beyond every single day," Wolski told News 3. "His actions directly result in making this community a safer one."
Here are the other winners honored this year:
Chesapeake Top Cop – SPO Norwood King & K9 Rosco
Gloucester County Sheriff’s Top Cop – School Resource Officer's group - Lt. Joe Petrowicz, Master Deputy Mark Molnar, Master Deputy Cindy
Saulman, Master Deputy Jeff Butler, Senior Deputy Amanda Billups
Hampton Top Cop – Det. MPO Steven L. Cooke
Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Top Cop – Investigator Kris Coughlin & Investigator Donald Edwards
James City County Top Cop – MPO T. Brandon Frantz
Newport News Top Cop – Officer Mark E. Hillmann
Norfolk Top Cop - Officer David Salisbury
Poquoson Top Cop – Dt. Sgt. James Fox
Portsmouth Top Cop – Street Crimes Unit - Lt. Chad Bennett, Sgt. Nathaniel Hawes, Sgt. (now Lt.) Scott Blystone and Officers Ken Adams, Roberto Aguilar, Jeffery Barber, Fredrick Byers, Sean Lewis, Anne O’Neill, Michael Siniscalchi, and William Watts
Smithfield Top Cop – Officer William Wooley
Suffolk Top Cop – Officer Clifton E. Sessoms, Jr.
Virginia Beach Top Cop – Officer Ross S. Stolle
Virginia State Police Top Cop - Trooper Vincent Tolaro
Williamsburg Top Cop – Team – Major Susan Galvin, Investigator Ashley Nichols, Lt. Brian Carlsen, Sgt. Rich Drab, Investigator Lang Craighill, Investigator Sean Hughes, Investigator Mark Mahoney, Investigator Scott Rose
Windsor Top Cop – Officer Clifton J. Griffin
York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Top Cop – Invest Donald Micket
Corporation - Damco Distribution Services, Inc.
Peter G. Decker, Jr. Award (Individual) - Christie Saunders, Portsmouth Crime Line
Lifetime Achievement - Fred Kern, Virginia Peninsula Crime Stoppers
