4 Honored with Ramsey County Sheriff's Award

Four citizens recently received the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Award for Excellence for serving the community.

Robert Koehnen of Shoreview, Aaron Meier of Lino Lakes, Nicholas Derner of St. Michael, and Sam Lynch of Menomonie, Wis., were recognized at a ceremony Wednesday in Little Canada. The award recognizes community members’ willingness to make the county safer through unselfish actions, according to Sheriff Matt Bostrom.

Koehnen was recognized for reporting a suspicions person in his Shoreview neighborhood on May 21, 2011. When a deputy arrived and the suspect fled, Koehnen helped block the suspect’s escape so the deputy could grab him. Meier then witnessed the struggle and helped restrain the suspect.

Lynch and Derner were recognized for assisting a deputy who was the victim of a sexual assault. The deputy was groped by a man on July 9 who then fled when she identified herself as a deputy. Lynch and Derner were walking in the area when they witnessed the pursuit and were able to grab the suspect.