Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird will present the Mayor’s Award of Excellence for December 2023 to Officer Pierce Krouse of the Lincoln Police Department today. The ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the County-City Building, 555 S. 10th Street. The award acknowledges City employees who consistently deliver exceptional service and show commitment to Lincoln.
Officer Krouse was nominated by Sergeant Tu Tran for his role in a rescue operation at Holmes Lake in November 2023. Sgt. Tran reported that officers were called to Holmes Lake after receiving distress calls. Officer Krouse found a woman 30 yards from the shore, clinging to a kayak. Using his flashlight and vehicle lights, he swam to the woman, moved her onto the kayak, and pushed them back to shore.
Sgt. Tran commended Officer Krouse for his quick response and willingness to risk his safety for others. He stated that Officer Krouse’s actions likely saved the woman’s life.
The Mayor’s Award of Excellence has categories such as safety, productivity, loss prevention, and customer relations. Nominations can be for self-initiated accomplishments or tasks completed outside of the nominee’s job description. All City employees, except elected and appointed officials, can be nominated by supervisors, peers, subordinates, and the public.