Awards to Deputies at Berrien County Commission Meeting
Undersheriff Greg Sanders, Deputy Sam Whittaker, Deputy Cameron Neubecker, Sheriff Chuck Heit (Deputy Sabrina LaRatta was unable to attend and not pictured)
Awards to Deputies
Berrien County Commission Meeting
Agencies Involved: Several Members of the Berrien County Road Patrol
Undersheriff Greg Sanders, Ken Jewell, Sheriff Chuck Heit
Narrative:
At the Berrien County Board of Commissioner’s Meeting, Sheriff Chuck Heit presented several awards to members of the Patrol Division.
Deputy Cameron Neubecker received a commendation for his actions on November 7, 2025 when he jumped in the Paw Paw River to pull a subject to shore going through a mental health episode. The individual was then transported to the hospital for further care.
Next, Deputy Sam Whittaker received a commendation for his quick response and actions in helping a cyclist that crashed her bicycle and suffered a number of broken bones and other injuries in New Buffalo Township on August 23, 2025.
Third, Deputy Sabrian LaRatta received a commendation for her actions as a member of the Berrien County Dive Team on May 28, 2025 when she dove to recover an individual that drown in New Buffalo. This was at night with very limited visibility making the conditions very challenging to dive in.
Finally, Sheriff Heit thanked and presented a retirement badge to Reserve Deputy Ken Jewell for his 30 years of service to the Sheriff’s Office.
These are four noteworthy examples of the deputies putting their mission to service members of our community before themselves.
