STUART, Fla. — A team of deputies and dispatchers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office has been named the first-ever Law Enforcement Team of the Year by Florida's attorney general.
They were recognized for their role in arresting the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump in September 2024.
WATCH: Inaugural award given to Martin County Sheriff's Office team
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier presented the award Thursday during a ceremony in Martin County, acknowledging the coordinated effort that led to the apprehension of Ryan Routh.
Routh was arrested last September along I-95 near the Martin Highway exit. Authorities believe he attempted to kill President Donald Trump at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
“We don’t do any of what we do for accolades, but to have that recognition means a tremendous amount,” said Detective Shayne Kennedy of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, one of 36 recipients of the honor.
During the ceremony, Sheriff John Budensiek acknowledged Kennedy’s direct role in the arrest.
“He was the guy in the tact outfit that was actually putting handcuffs on the bad guy, so Shayne thank you for being here,” Budensiek said.
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Kennedy says it's a day that's hard to forget.
“We all had such a fraction of time to really respond to what we were learning in those moments. You default to everything that you’ve done. Everything that you’ve learned and you hope that everything comes out alright,” he said.
Detective Kennedy says he was putting away groceries off-duty when he got the call and sprung into action.
He said, “some groceries stayed on the floor and I just got in my truck. I knew that there wasn’t going to be much. We wouldn’t have much time.”
Uthmeier praised the team's efforts during the takedown.
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“In professional exemplary fashion, in a coordinated effort, shut down roadways, pursued this vehicle, ultimately surrounded and detained what was a dangerous individual,” he said.
Sheriff Budensiek credited the success to the long-standing teamwork within their department and with other agencies.
“We’re proud of you. This didn’t happen accidentally. It happened because for years we’ve been working together as a team,” he said.
The recognition highlights the role that law enforcement played in putting an end to a violent situation before it could get any worse.
