Officer Jonathan Best, grandson of Elanor Best of Pattonsburg, received the Kansas City Missouri Police Department’s highest honor for saving the life of a fellow officer. Police Chief James Corwin presented the Medal of Valor to Officer Best and two other officers at a June 30 ceremony at police headquarters in Kansas City.
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
On the afternoon of Feb. 10, 2009, Officer Best and several others were dispatched to the call of a suspicious man armed with a machete near a gas station. After arriving, officers determined the 911 call had been made from a nearby apartment complex. The caller was intoxicated and uncooperative.
Officers canvassed the area, but didn’t find anyone armed with a machete. After 30 to 45 minutes searching, officers determined nothing more could be done. No offense had been committed. The officers left.
Shortly after leaving, radio dispatchers informed the officers that the person who called 911 now wanted to cooperate with them. The officers returned.
Sergeant Larry Schoen, arriving ahead of everyone else, began to walk toward the front door of the apartment complex. The door opened and a man armed with a large knife ran barreling toward him. Sergeant Schoen backed away and drew his weapon. He tripped and fell on the ground with the suspect still lunging toward him wielding the knife.
Officer Best and two other officers shot the suspect before he could stab Sergeant Schoen. The suspect then ran toward them and they shot him again numerous times. The man eventually fell to the ground and was taken into custody. The suspect recovered from the gunshot wounds and was convicted of assault on a law enforcement officer.
In addition to Officer Best, Police Chief Jim Corwin also awarded Sgt. James Schulte and officers Jonathan Hall and Nicholas Cardona with medals of valor.
The Medal of Valor is the highest honor awarded by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department. The medal goes to an officer who has performed an exceptionally valorous act while aware of the imminent threat of personal danger.
On a lighter note, on July 9, during Law Enforcement Week, Jonathan was asked to throw out the first pitch at the Royals-Detroit ball game in Kansas City. Best works off-duty in security at Kauffman Stadium.
Officer Best is a 2001 graduate of South Harrison High School. He is a graduate of Missouri Western State University and the KCPD Police Academy. He is the son of Morris and Joyce Best of Bethany. He is the grandson of Carole and the late Frank Gibson of Gilman City and Elanor and the late Morris Best of Pattonsburg. He and his wife Sarah and daughter Madilynn live in North Kansas City.