Illinois Valley Times

State Representative Ryan Spain expressed his commendation for the thirteen Illinois police officers who were awarded the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor. "Congratulations to the thirteen Illinois police officers who were awarded the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor this week for their extraordinary acts of bravery and sacrifice," he said.

"Congratulations to the thirteen Illinois police officers who were awarded the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor this week for their extraordinary acts of bravery and sacrifice," said Spain, according to Facebook. "Thank you to these remarkable individuals for their service to their communities and our state!"

Spain referred to a 25 News Now article that spotlighted the Law Enforcement Medal of Honor Ceremony, which occurred on May 20 in Springfield. The article indicated that seven recipients were from the Belvidere Police Department, three from the Chicago Police, two from the Illinois State Police (ISP), and one from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, as reported by 25NewsNow.

Screenshot of Rep. Ryan Spain's May 22 Facebook post | Ryan Spain Facebook page

According to an ISP news release, all 13 honorees were identified. From Belvidere Police Department, Officers Joseph W. Danielak, David G. Ellingson, Christopher R. Garcia, Joseph M. McDermott, Dillon R. Rackley, Zachary C. Reese, and Mark R. Weiland received honors for their response to a March 31, 2023 tornado strike at Belvidere’s Apollo Theater.
Officers Reynol Cuellar De La Cruz, Maximo Mora, and Julio Zavala from the Chicago Police Department responded to a call regarding a "person shot" on Oct. 7, 2023. When they approached the fleeing suspect vehicle, it collided with their squad car head-on causing significant injuries.

ISP Trooper Timothy W. Harper and Sergeant Boguslaw H. Kramarz were recognized for their response to an incident on May 9, 2023 when Harper was assisting a vehicle on Interstate 64 and Kramarz provided backup support. The vehicle’s occupants lied about their identities leading to an altercation where Kramarz was shot in the head by a resisting male suspect; Harper returned fire and then aided Kramarz.
Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Andrew T. Martini was acknowledged for his response to an attempted suicide call. As he assisted the injured man, he was attacked but managed to direct family members to safety, fire at the suspect, and provide medical aid.

Spain has been serving the people of the 73rd House District since 2017. A lifelong resident of Peoria, he holds a double degree in political science and speech communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an MBA from Bradley University. His service record includes a tenure on the Peoria City Council from 2007 to fall of 2016, according to his official biography.