Nate Steber, right, a 2009 graduate of Florence High School and a full-time police officer in Two Rivers, Wis., accepts the Officer of the Year Award from Police Chief Joe Collins.

FLORENCE, Wis. — Nate Steber, a 2009 graduate of Florence High School and full-time police officer with the Two Rivers Police Department, received the distinguished 2017 Officer of the Year Award at an April 7 banquet in Two Rivers, Wis.

Steber was nominated by his peers for his dedication, professionalism and commitment to law enforcement and community service.

He has been with the department for more than four years, starting as a full-time patrol officer. Steber recently was promoted to detective/investigator.

Police Chief Joe Collins cited lifesaving events Steber was involved in, two while on-duty and one while off-duty. One on-duty incident involved a young teenager with a knife, and the other a young man with a firearm.

In regard to the on-duty incidents, Collins credited Steber’s quick response and judgment for resolving dangerous and perhaps life-threatening situations without further harm or incident.

The third lifesaving event occurred while Steber was off-duty and enroute to Montana in October. He was traveling with his father, retired Florence County Sheriff’s Deputy Rob Steber, and Brett West, an off-duty officer with Marinette County. The incident involved the near-drowning of an elderly woman who became trapped inside her submerged vehicle in Eau Claire, Wis.

This underscored Steber’s commitment to law enforcement and service to those in need, helping to save a life despite being outside of the Two Rivers area and off-duty. Collins also went on to cite Steber’s further law enforcement involvement with a position on the Manitowoc County SWAT team as a sharpshooter.

Steber is a member of the Two Rivers Color Guard and also serves a tactical instructor for the department.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with an emphasis in law enforcement. He completed a six-week internship with the Grand Junction Police Department in Grand Junction, Colo.

He is also a graduate of the Fox Valley Police Academy and has had extensive formal training in SWAT. He is currently training with the Manitowoc County Metro-Drug Unit as part of his investigator/detective position.

Steber is the son of Rob and Karen Steber of Florence.

In addition to the Officer of the Year Award, Collins went on to recognize Steber and his father for their meritorious act in the rescue of the elderly woman trapped inside her submerged vehicle last fall.

A certificate of appreciation was given to both on behalf of the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department, along with a department patch, valor coin and honor bar.

Collins read a heart-felt letter of appreciation from the elderly woman’s grandson, a deputy with the Marathon County Sheriff’s Department in Wausau.