HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 05-14 Maplewood police officer who survived shootout to be on TV PIONEER PRESS Maplewood police officer who survived shootout to be on TV
Updated:05/14/2015 08:58:24 PM CDT TwinCities.com
A Maplewood police officer will be featured on a national television program
- for a 2009 shootout that earned her a Medal of Valor.
�, � ` y.� *� "In the Line of Fire" airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on the Investigation Discovery
i� Channel. The program examines emotional stories of survival from police
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officers across the nation.
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Officer Julie Olson will be highlighted along with officers from New York City
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Paul police officer
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&puot;Rrck&c�l,ot; Olson responded to a domestic situation to assist North St. Paul Officer
Crittender� Richard Crittenden in September 2009.
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Mir�nesota As they entered a dark apartment, Devon Dockery allegedly charged at them
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���r�are sarrey� with a flaming rag and fatally shot Crittenden at point-blank range with his
own gun. Dockery then shot at Olson, who returned fire, fatally wounding him.
In total, 14 shots were fired by Crittenden's and Olson's guns, both 40-caliber Glock pistols.
A second Maplewood police officer, Lonn Bakke, arrived and helped disarm Dockery. By the
time medics arrived, Dockery and Crittenden were dead.
Olson was shot in her right forearm and received the national Medal of Valor in a 2013
ceremony in Washington, D.C.
The overwhelming majority of police officers are decent, ethical and courageous, said Henry
Schleiff, a group president for Discovery Communications, in a statement. "It is my honor to
tell their stories," he said.
The Maplewood Police Department announced the program on its Facebook page, saying,
"We're very proud of Officer Olson and all members of the Maplewood Police Department."
Katie Kather can be reached at 651-228-5006.
Follow her at twitter.com/ktkather.