Milwaukee Police Honor Officers at Merit Ceremony
The semi-annual event recognized dozens of officers and several citizens, including a unit that arrested the suspect in the killing of Officer Kendall Corder.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Law Enforcement
The Milwaukee Police Department held its semi-annual Merit Award Ceremony on Wednesday night, recognizing dozens of officers and several citizens. Twenty-four officers and detectives from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and Special Investigations Unit received the Unit Service Award.
Why it matters
The unit was recognized for arresting Tremaine Jones within hours of the June 2025 shooting that killed 32-year-old Officer Kendall Corder. The award highlights the department's response to the death of one of its own.
Tremaine Jones was arrested within hours of the June 2025 shooting and has since been convicted for the killing of Officer Kendall Corder. The extraction does not specify the sentence imposed or any pending appeals.
The players
Milwaukee Police Department
The municipal police agency that holds semi-annual awards recognizing officers and citizens for service and investigative work.
Tremaine Jones
The man convicted of fatally shooting Milwaukee Police Officer Kendall Corder in June 2025 and of injuring Officer Christopher McCray.
The details
Officers and detectives from the HIDTA and SIU unit mobilized immediately after news of the shooting spread through the department. The unit's work led to Jones's arrest within hours, and it was recognized on Wednesday with the Unit Service Award.
Timeline
June 2025: Tremaine Jones fatally shot Officer Kendall Corder and injured his partner, Christopher McCray.
Within hours of the shooting: Jones was arrested by the HIDTA and SIU unit.
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026: The Merit Award Ceremony was held and the Unit Service Award was presented.
Legal Context
The award follows the June 2025 killing of Officer Kendall Corder, a case that moved through the Milwaukee justice system to a conviction. The recognition places the unit's work within the department's ongoing awards process for officers tied to major investigations.
Residents of Milwaukee see the department recognize officers who respond to threats against law enforcement and the community. The award reflects the department's effort to acknowledge officers involved in investigations that reach into neighborhoods across the city.
The takeaway
Recognition ceremonies like this one show how the department honors officers who respond quickly to violence against their colleagues. Residents interested in the department's work can follow its public announcements for future awards.
Further reading
For more on local policing, see Law Enforcement coverage in Milwaukee.
