Rifle—During a recent drug investigation in Rifle that turned into a physical battle, Rifle Police Officer Stephanie Straw got some help taking a violent man to the ground from a longtime local. Ryan Mackley, owner of Align Media, was honored recently by the Rifle Police Department with the Citizen’s Recognition Award for his actions. Chief Tommy Klein says on Sunday, March 24th, Officer Straw was conducting the drug investigation with two men on 4th Street when one of the suspects made a run for it. When she chased him down, he punched her and slammed her against a wall. Klein says when Straw managed to take him down, Mackley, a pretty stout fellow and former football player, jumped right in. Mackley says he’s a little embarrassed by the award and all the attention. He says the incident was a reminder of how local law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day. Apparently that weekend was a challenging one for Officer Straw. The day before her altercation on 4th Street, another uncooperative suspect decided to challenge her. Unfortunately, there were no heroes in the crowd, just bystanders capturing the skirmish on their cellphones. In addition to the Citizens Recognition Award, Mackley was given a special coin for his bravery, something that is normally given to police officers only.
