Essex Police Chief David Demag
Named To U.S. Medal Of Valor Review Board

Chief of Police David Demag of Essex has been selected to serve on the 11-member Medal of Valor Review Board which will select and recommend to the President public safety officers to receive the new Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor. The Medal of Valor will be awarded to public safety officers who demonstrate extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty.

Sen. Patrick Leahy recommended Chief Demag to serve on the Review Board, which will decide recipients of the highest national award for valor by a public safety officer. Chief Demag, Chief of Police for the Town of Essex, Vt., is a veteran law enforcement official with more than 30 years of police experience. His former law enforcement positions include Chief of Police for the St. Albans Police Department and Commander of the Burlington Police Department.

The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor is designed to recognize the heroism of police, firefighters and correctional officers. Leahy, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, cosponsored and helped shepherd into law the legislation that established the award. The law authorized the President to award and present the Medal of Valor.

Chief Demag began his career in law enforcement in 1971 as a patrol officer for the Burlington Police Department, where he served until his retirement as Commander in 1996. During this period, in 1977, he graduated from the 108^th session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy. Shortly after his retirement he was appointed Chief of Police in St. Albans, a post he held until May 2001, when he was named to his current position as Chief of Police in Essex.

"Chief Demag has long experience both in working as a police officer and in overseeing the work of police officers," said Leahy. "The person that he is makes him well suited to help select the best candidates to receive the Medal of Valor, and so do his dedication to law enforcement work and his success at it."

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