The Clarkdale Police Department honored Officers James Cox and Kyle Nudelman among more than a dozen fellow staff members at its 12th annual service awards ceremony Feb. 28 with Chief Randy Taylor presiding over the recognition of the department’s top performers from 2025.
■ Meritorious Service Award: Officer James Cox
Cox was honored for being the first on scene of a home fire on North Main Street in Cottonwood on April 29 at 6 a.m. after he was heading home after when he thought his work for the day was over.
“In April 29 of last year, Cox was driving home at 6 o’clock in the morning, and he found black smoke towards Old Town Cottonwood and he followed the smoke found a mobile home, entirely engulfed in flames,” Taylor said. “He located a male trap behind a gate with singed hair soot on his face, and cuts on his arms, so he was able to pry a gate open so he could get him out of there. Then he got a woman, two children crawling from a window out of the residence. And then there’s also a puppy that he was able to get out of a window.
“The family lost everything inside the house, but none of them were seriously injured.”
■ Meritorious Service Award: Lead Officer Derek Johnston, Detective Aaron King, Officer Lawrence Jackson
Several awards were handed out for the March 24, arrest of Micah Andrew Hines for allegedly hiding in a third-grade bathroom at Clarkdale-Jerome School. Several officers involved in the investigation were given service awards with Johnston, who has since been promoted to lead officer, reportedly helping secure a confession from Hines; and King, Jackson also playing a role Taylor said. School Resource Officer Jakii Montijo and Officer Andres Quiles earned the Chief’s Award also for being part of the investigation.
Three students from the school were also awarded certificates of recognition from CPD.
“We wanted to recognize them for their bravery and for the information they were able to provide us, which led to his immediate apprehension,” Taylor said.
Johnston earned a separate Chief’s Award for having to make a tough phone call because after he responded to a welfare check of a woman who lost a loved one and became isolated.
“Johnston, knowing she was unable to drive, began getting groceries for her, running errands and assisting around the house as needed,” the Chief’s Award reads. “In 2025, while running an errand for this woman, he noticed she had plastic bags wrapped around the lower portion of her legs. He notified fire and then Adult Protective Services who were both unable to provide aid due to her refusal to comply. A few weeks later, when Johnston checked on her, the plastic bags were removed, and [he] recognized [her] legs were severely infected and most likely needed amputation.
Still the woman refused assistance and expressed her willingness to die. Against her will and at the risk of alienation, Johnston contacted Spectrum Health Care Crisis Team and through a collaborative effort, the lady’s legs and life were spared.”
■ Officer of the Year: Officer Andres Quiles.
“Quiles led the department in arrests and DUIs,” Taylor said. “He became one of our [field training officers] … so he’s really been working hard this year in all aspects of the job.
■ Ambassador of the Year: Lead Ambassador Jim Mast
The Verde River Ambassador program is a customer service and non-sworn job that works at the Tuzigoot River and Lower TAPCO River Access Points.
“Jim retired as a dentist, and so he’s been working the river for us now for about seven years, … and he knows everything there is to know about the area and the flora, he became our lead ambassador a couple years ago, and now he trains the ambassadors,” Taylor said.
■ Certificate of Appreciation: Dispatcher Jennifer Noss
“Jennifer is one of those dispatchers that when you’re going to a call and you’re wondering, ‘are there guns involved?’ … there’s a million questions going through an officer’s mind when the call comes in,” Taylor said. “She has that critical thinking element, you don’t ask her [because] she tells you on the radio before you even ask it.”
■ Lifesaving Award: Officer Kyle Nudelman.
“On Sept. 19, 2025, Officer Kyle Nudelman was working an off-duty detail at John S. McCain Elementary School in Buckeye,” his award reads. “While conducting foot patrol in the cafeteria, Officer Nudelman was approached by an 8-year-old student who was signaling that he was choking. Officer Nudelman immediately performed the Heimlich Maneuver on the child which resulted in clearing the obstruction.”
Taylor said that Nudelman’s last day with the department was March 4. He was with CPD for about one year.
■ Employee of the Year: Sergeant Sean Guth
Guth also earned his 10 years of service pin, and has taken on many additional duties in 2025 from international affairs to background investigator. “He just has an amazing work ethic, and it’s just become a vital part of our department,” Taylor said.
Clarkdale Police Awards
■ Officer of the Year: Officer Andres Quiles.
■ Employee of the Year: Sergeant Sean Guth
■ Ambassador of the Year: Lead Ambassador Jim Mast
■ Meritorious Service: Officers James Cox and Lawrence Jackson, Lead Officer Derek Johnston, Detective Aaron King
■ Pacesetter [Fitness] Award: Lead Officer Derek Johnston
■ Chief’s Award: Lead Officer Derek Johnston, School Resource Officer Jakii Montijo, Officer Andres Quiles
■ Lifesaving Award: Officer Kyle Nudelman
■ Certificate of Appreciation: Dispatcher Jennifer Noss
■ 10-Year Pin: Sgt. Sean Guth
■ Five-Year Pin: School Resource Officer Jakii Montijo
■ Certificate of Recognition: Three students from Clarkdale-Jerome School.
■ Outstanding Service Award: Town of Clarkdale Utilities Department.