Crime & Safety

Montgomery County Police Officer Edward Paden Earns Congressional Award

Paden is the first in the state of Maryland to receive the Congressional Badge of Bravery, according to officials.

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Congressman Van Hollen and U.S. Attorney Rosenstein will honor Montgomery County Police Officer Edward E. Paden Jr. with the Congressional Badge of Bravery Award.

The award ceremony will be held Monday, Jan. 9 at the Public Safety Training Academy Lobby, 9710 Great Seneca Highway in Rockville. The ceremony starts at 10 a.m.

Officer Paden tells Patch that he feels "very honored" to be recognized in this light.

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He was the first police officer inside of the of the lobby on September 2010.

Although he was off duty, Officer Paden rushed to the scene and his quick thinking gained him access to the building. 

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Officer Paden told Patch in a 2011 interview that his vantage point helped his team gain needed Intel.

“I let our communications as well as fire marshall, the bomb techs, swat and the other personnel know. I became the eyes and ears for them until they were able to get in position. I basically relayed everything I saw and everything he was doing,” he said.

The Congressional Badge of Bravery Award was created in 2008 in order to "honor exceptional acts of bravery in the line of duty by federal, state, and local law enforcement officers."

Officer Paden will be one of 20 officers earning the Congressional Badge of Bravery nationwide, according to Sue Walitsk, Spokeswoman for U.S. Senator Ben Cardin.


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