Polson Police officers honored with Distinguished Service Medals
Polson Police Chief George Simpson awarded Distinguished Service Medals to Detective Cody Doyle, Officers Chance Peasley and Matt Woods, and Sergeant Aaron Sutton during Monday's city commission meeting. Officer Mat Gomez was not able to attend the presentation, which included a pin and plaque. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
At Monday’s Polson City Commission meeting, Police Chief George Simpson presented the Distinguished Service Medal to five members of the Polson Police Department in recognition of their extraordinary bravery, restraint, and professionalism during two high-risk operations last year.
The ceremony honored Sergeant Aaron Sutton, Detective Cody Doyle, and officers Matt Woods, Chance Peasley and Mat Gomez (who is no longer with the force and was unable to attend the meeting). Sergeant Sutton and Officer Woods received bronze stars on their medals, signifying their second time receiving this prestigious award.
“Our mission is built on trust – earned, not assumed,” said Chief Simpson. “These officers placed themselves in grave danger to protect lives, demonstrating courage and professionalism under the most extreme conditions.”
On April 6, 2024, Polson’s Quick Reaction Force (QRF) responded to a mutual aid request from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office involving a domestic violence suspect who had barricaded himself inside a residence on Kerr Dam Road and vowed to resist arrest. Led by Sgt. Sutton, the QRF established a perimeter and requested support from the Northwest Montana Regional SWAT Team.
Despite multiple commands to surrender, the suspect opened fire through the walls of the house, initiating a prolonged and dangerous standoff. Officers withstood a 14-minute barrage of gunfire, with bullets ricocheting off the armored car that was providing cover, striking the ground at their feet.
The QRF and SWAT officers responded with a coordinated use of chemical munitions that ultimately forced the suspect to surrender without loss of life or injury to officers or civilians.
In another incident on March 17, 2024, Sutton and Woods responded to a hostage situation in Kalispell as members of the NWMR SWAT Team. The volatile domestic standoff involved an armed man who had threatened his girlfriend, pointing a shotgun to her head. After she escaped from the house, he barricaded himself inside with his children.
When negotiations failed and the suspect’s behavior escalated, the team initiated a tactical rescue. SWAT officers – including Sutton and Woods – entered the home and safely removed the children while a second team provided security.
The SWAT team forced the suspect to retreat upstairs and later took him into custody with help from an “apprehension K-9 and a shield team.”
“Despite the clear danger, these officers placed themselves between an armed suspect and innocent lives, demonstrating extraordinary valor and selflessness,” Simpson told commissioners.
“These operations underscore the critical importance of interagency cooperation and the specialized capabilities of the NWMR SWAT Team,” said Simpson. “The bravery displayed by your officers reflects the highest ideals of public service.”
The Northwest Montana Regional SWAT Team is a joint task force composed of 26 officers from the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Kalispell, Whitefish and Polson police departments, two K-9s and four tactical medics. Its mission is to respond to the most serious and complex threats to public safety across the region.
According to Simpson, it was established to “effectively respond to the increasing frequency of violent confrontations between law enforcement and dangerous criminal elements.”