Allegheny County narcotics Detective Todd Naylor didn't spend a lot of time yesterday enjoying his award for helping bust up a major drug ring.

A couple of hours after he and his former partner, Scott Klobchar, accepted their statuettes at the annual John Heinz Law Enforcement Awards at the Sheraton Station Square, Detective Naylor was back on the street, working.

"I was pretty honored to get this award," he was saying by cell phone just before another call came in.

"I'm getting ready to make a buy now," he said, "I gotta go."

Such is the life of a narc.

As usual, many of the officers who won awards for rescues.

But several also won for more complex, clandestine operations that don't make the TV news.

In the case of detectives Naylor and Klobchar, it was an 11-month team effort to take down a drug network in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties that has so far yielded three federal indictments and $3 million worth of cocaine.

The investigation began last year in Pleasant Hills and other South Hills communities with the arrest of street-level dealers.

According to court papers, authorities used informants to build their case against the main players, identified as Channing M. Jackson of South Park, Douglas J. Cole of Penn Hills and Mauro Kisak of Monroeville.

The probe culminated in a Nov. 3, 2006, search of a storage locker in West Mifflin, where police seized more than 41 pounds of coke. According to an IRS affidavit, they found the fingerprints of Mr. Jackson and Mr. Cole on the wrappers of the packages.

Both are under indictment in U.S. District Court.

Mr. Kisak pleaded guilty in September and is awaiting sentencing. His property has also been seized by federal prosecutors and auctioned as the proceeds of drug dealing.

The investigation is ongoing and more could be charged.

For their role in the case, the two county detectives earned the "War Against Drugs" Award, presented by Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr.

These were the other recipients:

• Fire Rescue Award: Officer Keith Carney, O'Hara. Officer Carney fought through thick smoke to rescue a woman trapped in a second-floor bedroom.

• In Disregard of their Own Personal Safety Award: Sgt. Earl Grubbs II and Officer William Scheller, Bellevue. Both risked their lives to clear residents from a burning four-story building, dragging one woman to safety.

• ER Award: Cpl. Ken Munshower, state police. During the rash of rock-throwing on area highways this year, Cpl. Munshower responded to the scene of one incident and administered first aid to an 18-year-old female driver hit in the head by a rock. Doctors said his quick work saved her life.

• Crime Doesn't Pay Award: Ronald Como, Penn Hills. In a drug case, Officer Como recovered a large amount of marijuana, numerous guns, body armor and nearly $60,000 in cash.

• Kids Come First Award: Sgt. Michael Scherbanic and detectives Martin George, Vincent Longo, Jay Stegena and Ronald Stokes, Allegheny County sheriff. The squad set a new record with the arrest of 4,494 dead-beat parents who owe more than $36 million in support payments.

• Above and Beyond Award: Officers Christian Short and Joel Hamilton, Robinson. Responding to a fire, they heard a cry for help, crawled on the floor through thick, black smoke and carried a man to safety.

• Courageous Act Award: Officer Regis Smith, Shaler. He pulled a man from a burning car after a crash.

• To Protect and Serve Award: Officer Tom Stelitano, Sharpsburg. Risking his life, he saved a 5-year-old girl and her father from a burning building. In 2001, he had helped rescue eight people in an apartment fire.

• Protecting Our Children Award: Detectives Richard Fox and Rebecca Meder, Pittsburgh. While investigating possible sexual abuse of a 14-year-old boy, they gathered evidence that a 44-year-old man had abused six other children and used them to lure more victims. The man is serving up to 70 years in prison.

• Special Presentation: Therese Rocco, retired assistant chief, Pittsburgh. Long dedicated to finding missing children, she was inducted into the Amen Corner Law Enforcement Hall of Fame.