Teledyne FLIR Defense announced the winners of the 27th Annual Vision Awards at the APSCON 2022 Conference in Reno, Nevada.
Teledyne FLIR Vision Awards
The Teledyne FLIR Vision Awards are presented to members of the airborne law enforcement community who have best demonstrated the use of thermal imaging systems in carrying out their missions, whether pursuing suspects, search and rescue efforts, or saving lives.
The awards are divided into four categories, including the FANG Award for operations involving a K9 support team.
Winners
Vision Award 1st Place
- Prince George's County (MD) Police Department
- Pilot: Lieutenant Aaron Smith; Tactical Flight Officer (TFO): Corporal Christopher Elrod
Vision Award 2nd Place
- Tampa (FL) Police Department
- Pilot: Flight Officer Joe Blanco; TFO: Flight Officer Ryan Zenko
Vision Award 3rd Place
- Michigan State Police
- Pilot: Sergeant Nate McGuire; TFO: Trooper Tom Proffitt
Life Saver Award
- Bernalillo County (NM) Sheriff's Office
- Pilot: Undersheriff Larry Koren; TFO: Lieutenant Fred Beers
Hot Pursuit Award
- King County (WA) Sheriff's Office
- Pilot: Deputy Anthony Mullinax; TFO: Deputy Joe Sweeney
FANG Award
- Sarasota (FL) County Sheriff's Office
- Pilot: Deputy Pilot David Bouffard; TFO: Deputy Pilot Raymond Vleck
- K9 Handler: Deputy Ryan McBride; Dog: Nox
Honoring the officers
On July 16, 2022, Life Saver Award winners Undersheriff Larry Koren and Lt. Fred Beers, along with two others, died in the line of duty in a tragic helicopter crash.
The officers were part of a crew that had just completed a firefighting mission and were returning to Albuquerque when the crash happened. The incident was unrelated to the mission highlighted in their winning Life Saver Award submission.
Recognizing the men and women in law
Undersheriff Koren and Lieutenant Beers are heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice serving the people"
“The Teledyne FLIR Vision Awards recognize the important work that the brave men and women in law enforcement undertake every day to keep communities across America safe,” said Dr. JihFen Lei, executive vice president of Teledyne FLIR Defense.
“Undersheriff Koren and Lieutenant Beers are heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice serving the people of Bernalillo County, New Mexico. We honor their memory and are proud to salute the countless law enforcement officers across the country who put themselves in harm's way every day to protect others.”
Selection criteria
Teledyne FLIR has presented the Vision Awards and sponsored the APSCON conference for more than 25 years.
A panel of judges nominates finalists and chooses the winners based on several criteria, including:
- Crew coordination – how well did the aircrew communicate and manage the incident, both inside the cockpit and with ground officers?
- Technical competence – skill level shown around search techniques, anticipating suspect behavior, focus under pressure, and operating imaging systems.
- The “FLIR Factor” – how instrumental were Teledyne FLIR cameras in completing the mission?
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