MEDAL OF VALOR AWARDED TO SIX SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Six sheriff's deputies who live in the Santa Clarita Valley were awarded Thursday with the department's highest honor - the prestigious Medal of Valor.

The awards, honoring those deputies who risked their lives to save others, were presented during a ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. Thirty medals were awarded.

``These men and woman dignified themselves by going above and beyond the call of duty under extraordinary circumstances (and) can truly be called heroes,'' a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department statement said.

Sgt. Lee White and Deputies Michael Bailey and Todd Weber were honored for rescuing Deputy Jake Kuredjian during last summer's shootout with a Stevenson Ranch resident wanted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Kuredjian was in the line of fire when White and Weber rushed to aid him after he was shot. Bailey drove his patrol car in, to assist in shielding Kuredjian.

Kuredjian died a short time later.

``There were a lot of profoundly touching stories that put you on the edge of the seats,'' said Sgt. John Bomben, who supervises Bailey and Webber. ``There were a lot of selfless acts by the deputies.''

Deputy Joel Broumley, who is assigned to the Crescenta Valley station, was awarded the medal for rushing into a burning home Sept. 30 and rescuing an elderly handicapped man trapped inside.

Palmdale Deputy John Christie was called a hero for putting his own life on the line May 2, 2000 - when he stopped two gangsters and saved the life of his longtime friend and partner, Deputy Bill McCormick.

Christie was presented the medal for stopping a man who had stabbed McCormick with a butcher knife during a fight outside a Palmdale home.

Custody Assistant William Kimble of Castaic, who is assigned to Pitchess Detention Center's North Facility and is a reserve deputy, carried a pregnant woman to safety after she had collapsed.

Also, on April 16, 1998, Kimble noticed that industrial-strength chemicals were sending fatal fumes throughout the administration building.

The department's statement said all of the stories shared a common thread: Each showed leadership among men and women of the Los Angles County Sheriff's Department who were placed in extraordinary situations. Each individual acted in a manner above what is expected - beyond what routine duty calls for - and disregarded personal safety to potentially save lives.

Staff Writer Greg Botonis contributed to this report.

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3 photos

Photo:

(1) WHITE

(2) BAILEY

(3) WEBER