BOISE, ID — Four Idaho law enforcement officers have been awarded the state’s highest public safety honor for extraordinary acts of courage, Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced Tuesday.
As chairman of the Idaho Medal of Honor Commission, Labrador presented the Medal of Honor during a ceremony at the Idaho State Capitol to Officer Brian Quiterio of the Kimberly-Hansen Police Department, Sergeant Taylor Beach of the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, and Garden City Police Sergeant Leon Dennis and Corporal Sikko Barghoorn.
“These officers represent everything we admire about Idaho law enforcement—courage under fire, selfless service, and an unwavering commitment to protecting their community,” Labrador said. “When lives hung in the balance, they didn’t hesitate to charge toward the danger and risk their own lives to save people they’d never met.”
Acts of Heroism Recognized
- Officer Brian Quiterio risked a 350-foot fall to rescue a suicidal individual on the edge of the Snake River Canyon in November 2024. Despite the person being combative, Quiterio remained in the dangerous position until they were secured and safe.
- Sergeant Taylor Beach saved a fellow officer’s life during a February 2018 shooting incident by returning fire at an armed suspect and then exposing herself to gunfire to extract and transport the wounded officer for life-saving treatment.
- Sergeant Leon Dennis and Corporal Sikko Barghoorn entered a residence with an active shooter in August 2023 to rescue an innocent person trapped inside. They came under immediate gunfire but advanced toward the threat until they safely evacuated the victim.
Since its creation in 2004, the Idaho Medal of Honor has been awarded to more than 85 law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel for acts of exceptional bravery that set them apart from their peers. The honor is given to public safety professionals who risk their lives to save others through acts of extraordinary heroism.