County Police Officer Edward Paden Earns Congressional Award

U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin, U.S. Rep. Christopher Van Hollen and U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein will honor Montgomery County Police Officer Edward E. Paden Jr. with the Congressional Badge of Bravery Award Monday.

Paden was the first police officer inside of inside of the lobby in September of 2010.

The award ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 9 at the Public Safety Training Academy, 9710 Great Seneca Highway in Rockville.

Paden tells Patch that he feels "very honored" to be recognized.

Although he was off duty, Paden rushed to the scene and his quick thinking gained him access to the building.

Paden told Patch in a 2011 interview that his vantage point helped his team gain needed information.

“I let our communications as well as fire marshall, the bomb techs, SWAT and the other personnel know. I became the eyes and ears for them until they were able to get in position. I basically relayed everything I saw and everything he was doing,” he said.

The Congressional Badge of Bravery Award was created in 2008 in order to "honor exceptional acts of bravery in the line of duty by federal, state, and local law enforcement officers."

Paden will be one of 20 officers earning the Congressional Badge of Bravery nationwide, according to Sue Walitsk, a spokeswoman for Cardin.