Deputies who helped save children, crash victims and volunteered their time earn top honors

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office awarded its top honors Friday and took some time to reflect on the progress the agency has made under the leadership of outgoing Sheriff Brad Steube.

But in addition to the holiday cheer always shared at the gathering, it was also a bittersweet moment for Steube, who was attending his last awards luncheon as sheriff.

“I will leave this agency in January, with leaders that have been developed, and that will bring new and fresh ideas to the future,” Steube said. “You are the peacemakers in our community because of your service and commitment.”

Steube chocked back tears, as he added, “And you are my heroes.”

The room erupted in applause as he fought to regain composure.

“I want to thank you for your commitment to me and the sheriff’s office. It’s been my honor to be your sheriff,” Steube said.

Those honored Friday were:

▪  Deputy of the year: deputies Angel Buxeda and Grant Steube

▪  Employee of the year: Kelsey Belloise

▪  Beall’s humanitarian of the year: William “Rudy” Rudolph

▪  Robert and Dan E. Molter volunteer of the year: William “Rudy” Rudolph

The sheriff addressed the members of his office for the final time, taking the opportunity to recap all the department has accomplished together since his appointment in 2007.

Most notable was the reduction of reported serious crimes in the annual Uniform Crime Reporting program, which includes: murders, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, larcenies and motor vehicle thefts. In 2007, there were 13,100 reported similar crimes, and in 2015 there were only 8,190, Steube said.

“That’s a 37 percent reduction of crime, because of you, all of you,” Steube said as he pointed at his employees, getting a little chocked up. “And we did that with an increase in population, cutting $5 million out of our budget and increased calls for service so that is a testament to everyone in this room.”

Deputies Angel Buxeda and Grant Steube, who is the sheriff’s son, were initially awarded deputy of the month in January for their quick and resourceful thinking that helped in saving the life of a 5-year-old boy.

On Jan. 30, 2016, Buxeda had responded to a call of someone yelling for help from the water in the Manatee River near Camp Flying Eagle. Buxeda was first to arrive and jumped into a canoe and began to call out to the person in distress. He came upon a capsized boat, with a father holding his 5-year-old son’s head out of the water because the boy’s shirt had been caught in the propeller of the boat’s motor.

Buxeda helped another man rip off the boy’s shirt piece by piece and wrapped the boy with dry clothes that two Boy Scouts at the scene provided because the boy was going into hypodermic shock because of the low water temperature. Buxeda began to paddle to the only clearing he saw on the shore. Stuebe had arrived at the scene and began to shout commands to Buxeda, guiding him to the riverbank.

Steube then ran, carrying the boy to a waiting ambulance, and both deputies remained with the boy to assist and comfort him.

Crime scene technician Kelsey Belloise was initially awarded employee of the month in March after she witnessed a three-vehicle accident and rushed to provide aid to all those involved.

Belloise immediately called for paramedics over the radio and grabbed her CPR kit as a woman ran up to her, saying that her husband couldn’t breathe. Belloise was able to cut through the air bags and ensured he was breathing before checking on the other drivers and passengers.

Even after paramedics arrived, Belloise stayed on scene to help.

Honored twice this year, William Ruldolph was honored because of all the volunteering he does outside the agency while performing above and beyond daily as a community service officer and trainer, officials said. Among his many duties, Randolph is the department’s cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator instructor.

While excelling at his sheriff’s office position, raising five children and caring for his elderly mother with his wife, Randolph still makes the time to volunteer at the Bridge Church’s Holy Smoke Program to benefit the SOLVE Teen Pregnancy House, Bayside Church’s Team Community Outreach Program and the men’s counseling through Bayside Church, officials said. He is also known for collecting money and participating in 5K runs for various charities.

This story was originally published December 9, 2016 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Deputies who helped save children, crash victims and volunteered their time earn top honors."