Officers Andrew Mehlhoff, Kyle Medeiros and Timothy Gates were honored for their actions on Oct. 4, 2014, when they rescued a man from the Souris River. According to a police account of the incident, Gates noticed a vehicle with a driver acting suspiciously by trying to hide his face. Upon further investigation, it was learned the man had recently led officers on a high speed vehicle pursuit, and there were numerous outstanding warrants for his arrest. Gates relocated the vehicle, but the driver had fled on foot. Mehlhoff, Medeiros and another officer responded to assist. They located the man along the bank of the Souris River and ordered him to surrender. Instead, the man entered the icy waters of the river in an attempt to avoid capture. The outside temperature was 23 degrees at the time. The officers entered the river and were able to get the man back to shore. However, the subject, who continued to fight with them, broke free and swam into deeper water, with Medeiros holding on to him. At one point, the man shoved Medeiros under the water. He then broke free and swam further out into the river. At this point, he began to struggle to keep his head above water and was yelling for help. Mehlhoff swam out to attempt rescue, but the man continued to fight and pushed Mehlhoff under water. The man was drowning when Gates, who has previous experience as a life guard, swam out to him and rescued him, safely delivering him back to the river bank. The officers had been in the icy water for 11 minutes. One officer was treated for hypothermia at the hospital. The man who had resisted arrest was transported unconscious to the hospital but recovered. “These officers displayed an outstanding dedication to duty and concern for the preservation of life despite the subject’s assaultive actions against them,” Minot Police Chief Jason Olson wrote in recommending the officer for the award.