La Crosse officers honored as ‘Top Cops’ in Washington

Two La Crosse police officers involved in a fatal shooting and infant rescue last year have been honored in Washington D.C. this week as “Top Cops.”

Both Andrew Adey and Stephen Hughes received Top Cops honorable mention recognition at the nation’s capital during National Police Week.

Adey and Hughes are credited for their actions during the Roger Burzinski carjacking which ended when Burzinski was shot and killed after being forced to stop.

Burzinski stole a Chevy Trailblazer at gunpoint from a woman in Houska Park on an otherwise sleepy Sunday afternoon in August last year. A 1 year-old child was still in the backseat. Police tracked down Burzinski quickly after he crashed into a construction site.

Adey and Hughes fired on Burzinski when he refused to give up and showed a gun.

The district attorney later determined the officers were justified in their use of force.

In the wake of the shooting, Adey and Hughes were lauded for their actions to rescue the child.