Officer Luke Gilliland of the Colonial Beach Police Department was recently awarded the prestigious Lifesaving Award from the American Red Cross for his heroic actions in the early morning hours of Aug. 30, 2020. Officer Gilliland was further honored by the Colonial Beach Police Department with the department’s Lifesaving Award. Officer Gilliland earned the awards when he was dispatched to the Colonial Beach Pier for a woman who had fallen off the pier and unable to swim. He arrived on scene to see several people on the pier and the woman in the water below. Rescue efforts of the people on the pier were proving to be unsuccessful. The woman was unable to swim, flailing her arms and repeatedly going under the water. Officer Gilliland, quickly recognizing that the woman was at risk for drowning, removed his police equipment, climbed over the railing and dove off the pier into the water. Officer Gilliland was able to contact the woman, who was panicking and struggling, making it difficult for him to swim her to shore. Despite the difficulty, he swam the woman safely to shore, and other first responders who had arrived on scene were able to assist the woman out of the water. The woman was unharmed during the event due to the officer’s decisive actions. Officer Gilliland exemplified the highest qualities of a law enforcement officer by disregarding his personal safety and saving the woman from drowning. For his selfless act, the officer earned the two lifesaving awards and the thanks of his community.