By Teri Carnicelli

    The Kiwanis Club of Sunnyslope paid tribute Nov. 12 to Officer Cody Thomas from the Desert Horizon Police Precinct for his brave actions in catching an armed burglary suspect.

    Around 2 p.m. on Aug. 10, Thomas was patrolling in the area of 6th Avenue and Dunlap. A resident saw him passing and flagged him down. The resident reported seeing a man riding a bicycle down the alley behind a stretch of neighborhood homes. The man appeared to enter a yard, and then came out several minutes later with two bags—bags he did not have with him previously. The man then got back on the bicycle and left. The witness gave a general description of the man and told Thomas the direction he was last seen heading in.

 

More than three hours later, Thomas spotted a man matching the suspect’s description, riding a bicycle northbound on 7th Avenue and carrying two bags. He pulled his squad car next to the man and ordered him to stop. The suspect instead tried to flee and while doing so reached into his waistband and pulled out a gun. Thomas quickly got behind the suspect and bumped the bike’s rear tire with his right front fender. The rider lost control of the bike, hit a curb and then a low retaining wall, falling off the bike and dropping the weapon in the process.

    The suspect jumped up and tried to flee on foot, with Thomas in pursuit. He was quickly apprehended by Thomas and taken into custody. The gun also was recovered, and it was identified as a loaded HK .45 pistol.

    When a check on the suspect was run, it revealed he had a history of property crimes and misconduct with weapons. The weapons possession alone will likely get him at least 10 years in prison, according to the report.

    The stolen property was returned to a grateful homeowner. Thomas was noted for his swift action and bravery in apprehending this armed convicted felon.

    The Officer of the Month program includes a luncheon for the officer and a significant other and the officer’s name engraved on a perpetual plaque. The plaque hangs inside the Sunnyslope Community Center. Once the plaque is filled with 12 names, it is given to the commander of the precinct so that it can be hung inside the police building.