The Atlanta police officers who took center stage Tuesday don't wear white shirts, for the most part.
White shirts are worn by the command staff. The officers honored for heroism at the department's Crime Is Toast Breakfast -- as well as others recognized for meritorious service -- usually wear blue shirts.
One of them was Officer Keith Roach, who had just gone off duty after an eight-hour shift in May 2010 when he confronted a gunman who was firing into a crowd during a robbery near the intersection of Lee and Oak streets in West End. He ended up being struck by five bullets, with wounds in his arms, chest and stomach.
Roach said he cut off the gunman, Atibi Thomas, and ordered him to the ground. Thomas apparently had tucked his gun into his waistband and as Roach bent over to handcuff him, he pulled his weapon and fired. Roach said he returned fire but ended up fighting hand-to-hand with Thomas for his gun.
The reason: "My weapon malfunctioned," said Roach, a five-year veteran.
Roach was still in uniform and wearing a bullet-proof vest, but it almost didn't save him. "One of the bullets grazed my head," he said.
Roach said he and Thomas fought on the ground as they struggled for the gun. According to the commendation report, Thomas got hold of the weapon and knelt on the wounded officer, saying, "If you move, I will kill you."
At that moment a private citizen, using his car as a weapon, hit Thomas and Roach got the gun. With some help from the crowd, the wounded officer then handcuffed Thomas and lay on the still struggling assailant until backup officers arrived, the report said.
Thomas' lawyer told Channel 2 Action News at the time of the arrest that Thomas was the robbery victim, and he thought Roach was trying to ambush him. Thomas was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and was released on $100,000 bond.
On Tuesday, the episode earned Roach the police department's highest award, officer of the year.
Two other officers were honored for catching Gregory Favors, who was arrested on charges of killing Georgia State Trooper First Class Chad LeCroy, 38, two days after Christmas last year.
Police say Favors fled when LeCroy tried to pull him over for a broken tail light, wrecked his car, and then shot the 38-year-old Marietta father when he approached. The attack was captured on the patrol car's video camera.
Officers Eugene Johnson and Andi Cameron, who were working plain clothes in Zone 5, got a call that LeCroy's patrol car was found abandoned on Gun Club Road, seven miles from the shooting. They found Favors walking down the road about a half-mile away and he fled when they tried to stop him.
He abandoned his gun during the chase and the officers captured him after a struggle. The gun was later tied to LeCroy's shooting.
The capture earned Johnson, a 22-year veteran, and Cameron, a seven-year veteran, the police department's medal of honor.
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