25 Officers, 1 Brave K-9 Honored With Hanna Award
BOSTON (CBS) -- Twenty-five officers and one brave K-9 were honored at the State House Tuesday morning with the George L. Hanna Memorial Award for Bravery.
The honor is named after a state trooper who was killed during a traffic stop in Auburn more than 30 years ago.
Many of the officer who received the state's Medal of Honor were involved in the manhunt and capture of the suspects involved in the Boston Marathon bombings and the killing of MIT officer Sean Collier days after the bombings. The Medal of Honor is the highest honor presented at the event.
Read More: Full List of Honorees
"Through the men and women here, we are reminded of the sacrifices made by all those who serve," Governor Deval Patrick said during the ceremony.
Collier's mother, sister and grandparents, accepted the Medal of Honor in his honor and memory.
MBTA officer Richard Donahue, who was injured in a shootout with the bombing suspects in Watertown, was among the officers who also received the Medal of Honor.
"Being in the room with so many other brave individuals, including the Collier family, it's just a sense of accomplishment and an honor to be here," Donahue told WBZ-TV.
Dax the German Shepard became the first K-9 officer in the history of the Commonwealth to receive the award.
"He was good and didn't bark," says his human partner, Ashland officer Chris Alberini. "So we're happy about that."
The pair fetched a shotgun-wielding suspect bent on murder from his attic hiding spot.
"He's always there," says officer Alberini, "and no matter what the situation he's gonna have my back."
WBZ-TV's Ken MacLeod and Nicole Jacobs contributed to this report.
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