Labrador Letter
August 15, 2025
Dear Friends,
This week, as Chairman of the Idaho Medal of Honor Commission, I had the honor of recognizing four law enforcement officers for extraordinary acts of courage at our 2025 Medal of Honor Ceremony. These officers risked their own lives to save others, going far beyond the call of duty. They join more than 85 Idaho law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel who have received the Idaho Medal of Honor since the Legislature established the Commission in 2004.
Officer Brian Quiterio of the Kimberly-Hansen Police positioned himself mere inches from a 350-foot drop at the Snake River Canyon to rescue a suicidal individual. When the combative subject regained consciousness on November 24th, Officer Quiterio refused to leave that dangerous position until the person was secured and safe.
Sergeant Taylor Beach of the Coeur d’Alene Police saved a wounded officer’s life during a February 2018 shooting incident. After returning fire at an armed suspect, she exposed herself to continued gunfire to extract her seriously injured colleague and transport him to the hospital for life-saving treatment.
Garden City Police officers Sergeant Leon Dennis and Corporal Sikko Barghoorn entered a residence with an active shooter on August 9, 2023, to rescue an innocent person trapped inside. They came under immediate gunfire upon entry but continued advancing toward the threat until they located and evacuated the victim safely.
These officers represent everything we admire about Idaho law enforcement—courage under fire, selfless service, and an unwavering commitment to protecting their community. When lives hung in the balance, they didn’t hesitate to charge toward the danger and risk their own lives to save people they’d never met. This is the heroism that defines our men and women in blue, and Idaho is safer because of officers like them.
What strikes me most about these heroes is how they didn’t hesitate when lives hung in the balance. They didn’t calculate the odds or weigh the risks to themselves. They saw people in danger and acted instantly, putting others’ lives before their own safety. That’s the character that defines Idaho law enforcement, and it’s why our communities remain among the safest in America.
As your Attorney General, I see firsthand the dedication of our law enforcement professionals every day. Whether it’s our ICAC officers protecting children from online predators, deputies investigating crimes in rural counties, or city police maintaining order in our neighborhoods, these men and women sacrifice daily to keep Idaho families safe.
The Idaho Medal of Honor ceremony reminds us that heroism isn’t just found in history books. While some try to vilify law enforcement, Idaho celebrates our officers and recognizes their extraordinary service. We understand that a safe, civil society depends on brave people willing to stand between good and evil, often at great personal cost.
These four heroes earned our state’s highest honor because when chaos erupted and death threatened, they chose courage over safety, service over self-preservation, and others’ lives over their own. That’s the Idaho way, and that’s why I’m proud to support our law enforcement community as both Attorney General and Commission Chair.
Best regards,
About Raúl Labrador
Raúl Labrador is the 33rd Attorney General of Idaho. The Office of the Attorney General provides legal representation for the State of Idaho. This representation is furnished to state agencies, offices and boards in the furtherance of the state's legal interests. The office is part of state government’s executive branch and its duties are laid out in the Idaho Constitution.
