Warren's Rock Star

So it was easy to notice the hubbub Wednesday when Warren Patrolman Doug Hipple was treated like a rock star by police officers and chiefs in attendance at the Mahoning Valley Chiefs of Police Association awards banquet at Youngstown State University.

Hipple won the association's Medal of Valor Award for running into a burning group home in April to try and save three residents. He got them out, but one later died from her injuries in a fire that has been ruled an arson.

Hipple almost lost his life as well, sustaining severe injuries and burns and spent several weeks in the burn unit at Akron Children's Hospital. He has only recently returned to work, on light duty at the police department.

After saying in brief remarks he was humbled to receive the award, officers and chiefs from other departments made a beeline to shake his hand when the banquet was over. The greeting was almost always the same: ``Good job.'

It's one thing to gain acceptance from those you serve. But when it's your peers, and especially in law enforcement, that's something else.