PENDLETON — The Umatilla Tribal Fire Department and Umatilla Tribal Police Department recently announced their selections for Firefighter of the Year and Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.

Each Umatilla County fire department and law enforcement agency annually selects its individual of the year while the Pendleton Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 922 sponsors a banquet and provides the honorees with plaques, according to a press release from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Umatilla Tribal Fire Department Capt. Darrell Welch received the Firefighter of the Year Award, and Umatilla Tribal Police Department communications officer John Bustard received the award for  Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.

Welch was unable to attend the Pendleton VFW Police-Firefighter Awards Banquet, so Chief James Hall accepted the award on his behalf.

Welch expressed his excitement about receiving the recognition and said Hall had informed him a couple of weeks earlier that he had been nominated for the award.

“Honestly, I was caught off guard when Chief Hall told me and felt surprised and very appreciative,” Welch said. “However, I will say even though individual awards are awesome, they can’t be achieved in the fire service without being surrounded by a quality team, so I need to say thanks to the people in the fire department, too.”

Welch began working for the fire department in 2012 as a paramedic firefighter and promoted to captain firefighter paramedic in 2021.

Hall said Welch “goes above and beyond in his caring nature for serving the public in a time of need” and was selected for his dedication to the people the fire department serves

Bustard began his service with the tribal police department in 2020.  He is the first person from the police department’s communications center to receive the award. He accepted the honor during the March 15 banquet at the VFW.

“John consistently comes to work with a positive attitude and an energy to accomplish what is ahead for him,” Police Chief Tim Addleman said. “He most often works the night shift, which, as we know, can be when the most unpredictable events occur.”

Addleman praised Bustard’s approach to handling calls into the dispatch center, describing it as a model of excellent customer service. He noted Bustard is polite, cordial and professional.

“In his nearly five years as a communications officer for the Umatilla Tribal Police, he continues to find ways to improve himself and learn from the officers what they need and how to deliver the information,” Addleman said.