Two Lawrence police officers will be among 34 officers statewide who will be honored for exceptional performance at the 2007 Joint Kansas Law Enforcement Conference banquet next month in Topeka.

Officer Michael Goodnow, a four-year veteran with two of those years in Lawrence, will receive the Bronze Award for accomplishments while an officer with the Leawood Police Department. The Bronze Award recognizes outstanding achievement above and beyond normal law enforcement responsibilities and duties.

Officer Shannon Riggs, an eight-year officer with four of them in Lawrence, will receive the Silver Award. That award recognizes extraordinary action that directly contributed to the significant prolonging or actual saving of a life.

On April 28, 2006, Riggs responded to an apartment fire in the 2100 block of West 26th Street. Riggs was the first to arrive at the scene and entered a burning apartment filled with smoke. He was able to pull a victim out of the building to medical personnel outside. Riggs also assisted other officers in evacuating the rest of the building.

Riggs received the Lawrence Police Department’s Medal of Valor for his actions that day.

Goodnow, while he was a Leawood officer, initiated and provided vital assistance in the arrest of four felony suspects in a stolen vehicle from Kansas City, Mo., after a short vehicle pursuit and manhunt near Interstate 435 at the Grandview Triangle. All four suspects were armed.

Lawrence police Capt. Mike Patrick, head of the Community Services Division, said the department “is very proud to have our officers recognized for their outstanding service.”

The Law Enforcement Conference is a joint meeting of the Kansas Peace Officers Association, the Kansas Sheriffs Association and the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police. It will be May 18.

The awards committee received 129 nominations from various law enforcement agencies across Kansas for award consideration.