March 26, 2026
Chemung County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Mike TheetGe was seriously injured in the line of duty in March 2024. He was chasing down robbery suspects at the Target store in Big Flats, jumped on a suspect who was on the hood of the getaway car, when the getaway car driver took off. TheetGe fell off the vehicle and sustained bad head injuries. State Senator Tom O’Mara just gave TheetGe the senate’s Blue Heart Award, which is for law enforcement officers who are injured on the job.
From Senator O’Mara: State Senator Tom O’Mara (R-C, Big Flats) and his colleagues in the Senate Republican Conference on Wednesday presented a Senate Commendation Award to Chemung County Sheriff’s Investigator Michael Theetge. Theetge, accompanied by his wife, Patrice, was at the Capitol to be recognized by members of the state Senate and Assembly. O’Mara recognized Theetge during the Senate Republican Minority daily conference and on the floor of the Senate in session, where the full Senate unanimously approved a Senate Resolution (J.1555) sponsored by O’Mara recognizing Theetge as the recent recipient of the “Order of the Blue Heart Award” from Wounded Blue, the only national organization dedicated to supporting law enforcement officers injured or disabled on the job. The Resolution reads, in part, “Through his courageous service, steadfast leadership, and ongoing recovery, Investigator Michael Theetge has made an enduring impact on the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office, his community, and the people of this great State.”
The Senate Commendation Award is one of the Senate’s highest honors recognizing individuals who have served and made lasting contributions to their communities and the state. The award recognizes achievements and contributions in volunteerism, public service, business, education, and law enforcement, among others, as well as, in Theetge’s case, acts of bravery in the line of duty. O’Mara said, “We are honored to have this opportunity to honor and recognize Investigator Theetge for his ongoing, strong commitment to law enforcement and public safety, his courage, and the enormous sacrifices he has made in the line of duty protecting our community. It has been a long and hard road of recovery, yet he remains committed to the vital work of law enforcement, mentoring young officers, and the critical mission of public safety and security. His perseverance and strength are inspiring. He continues to earn our respect and the widespread support of the local community, and the men and women in blue locally, statewide, and across the nation.”
In late March 2024, Theetge, in pursuit of a suspect in a retail theft operation at a Target store in Big Flats, was struck and thrown by the getaway vehicle being used in the crime. He was critically injured, suffering a traumatic brain injury, He has faced a prolonged period of rehabilitation and recovery undergoing specialized treatment and surgeries to recover from his injuries, including, most recently, a series of major spinal surgeries at the Virginia Spine Institute.
