Local Law Enforcement Receive Carnegie Medal for Life-Saving Actions

The individuals earned the honor after saving a woman from an icy pond.

Officer Jacob Sander and Sergeant Jonathan Ball. Photos provided.

(Boone County, Ky.) - The Boone County Sheriff's Office, in partnership with the Florence Police Department, have announced that Sergeant Jonathan Ball and Florence Police Officer Jacob Sander have been awarded the prestigious Carnegie Medal. 

The award ceremony was held last Thursday in Florence City Council Chambers. Among those in attendance was Kristin Barbiea. 

Sergeant Ball and Officer Sander were nominated in early 2025 following their lifesaving efforts on January 12, 2025. On that evening, Barbiea fell into a cold, icy pond outside her apartment complex in Florence, Kentucky. Both entered the frigid water and successfully rescued her, actions that led to their nomination and eventual selection for the Carnegie Medal.

“Their actions are the embodiment of what it means to serve. They represent the values we hope to instill in our children and grandchildren: bravery, compassion, commitment, and a willingness to act when others cannot,” stated Sheriff Les Hill. “Many people enter law enforcement because they want to help others. On that night, Officer Sander and Sergeant Ball didn’t just help someone, they saved her life.”

“Established on April 15, 1904, by Andrew Carnegie, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission recognizes individuals in the United States and Canada who risk their lives to save or attempt to save others. The Carnegie Medal is the highest honor given by the Commission to those who demonstrate extraordinary heroism” (Purpose & Scope of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission).

For more information about the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, please visit www.carnegiehero.org.