MONTAGUE — Officer James Ruddock and his K9 partner Artie have been awarded the prestigious Enrique Camarena Award for their efforts in making a drug-free community.
The Massachusetts Elks and the Public Safety Committee selected Ruddock and Artie as the sole recipients of the award in Massachusetts. The pair has been working together for four years.
Montague police officers, Acting Chief Chris Bonnett, local Elks members, and Ruddock and Artie gathered at the police station Wednesday afternoon for the award ceremony.
Artie excitedly vocalized and tugged on his leash as the room prepared for the ceremony.
“He’s usually ready to work,” Ruddock laughed. “He’s wondering ‘why are we just standing around?’”
Ruddock turned to Artie with a smile.
“It’s because of you!” he said.
Kevin Hastings, state chairman of drug awareness program for the Elks, presented Ruddock with the award.
“I am honored to have received this award,” Ruddock said at the ceremony. “We have done a lot for the community … Artie has done a lot for the community.”
Enrique “Kiki” Camarena was a U.S. Marine and undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent who was abducted, tortured and murdered by a Mexican drug cartel while on assignment in February 1985. Each year, the Elks present this award to a member of law enforcement “who exemplifies the qualities and principles for which Agent Camarena gave his life.”
According to information about the Elks Drug Awareness Program, some of the award criteria specifies that the recipient should be a “positive role model committed to a healthy lifestyle,” have made “an outstanding contribution in the field of drug awareness/prevention,” and has gone “above and beyond their normal duties” and made a difference.
“I’m pretty humbled to be standing in the shadows of Enrique for everything he stands for,” Ruddock said. “It’s an honor overall to have the Elks select us for the award. They’ve been a supporter of ours right from when I started.”
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