Life Saving Incident
March 17, 2009
Maine
Penobscot County
Bangor
On Tuesday, March 17, 2009, Officer Timothy Shaw was flagged down by a pedestrian who informed him that a woman had fallen off a bridge and was lying on the ice below. Officer Shaw’s observations confirmed that a woman was lying on the ice, and that she was in danger of entering the open water, and that she was crying for help. After Officer Shaw requested additional backup and assistance from the Fire Department, he ventured onto the ice in order to assist the woman and to insure that she did not fall into the nearby water. Officer Robert Hutchings and Officer Doug Smith responded to the area and saw Officer Shaw on the ice next to the injured woman. Both were in danger of either falling through the thin ice or entering the open water. Officer Hutchings and Officer Smith made a decision to walk onto the ice to form a “human chain” in case the ice broke beneath Officer Shaw and the woman. Despite the warnings by responding members of the Fire Department, the officers remained with the woman until she could be safely rescued.
The history of law enforcement in the United States is a long and wonderful history of bravery. This website is dedicated to documenting the heroic deeds of law enforcement officers throughout the United States who have either given or risked their lives to save others. There are many stories of bravery and heroism for many who are considered first responders. However, it is those in law enforcement who are most likely to be the first to arrive upon a location requiring life saving acts engaging dangerous hostage takers, running into burning buildings/vehicles, providing first aid to seriously injured victims, saving near drowning victims and much more are what the women and men of law enforcement do routinely and at many times, great peril to their own safety.
It is our mission to document the history of lives saved by those dedicated women and men in law enforcement. To share with others the dramatic deeds of those individuals who are the first, first responders. It is so important for our citizens to understand that law "enforcement" is not always about enforcing the law but rather being there when our citizens need us.
It is to this end we are dedicated to promoting documentation regarding the history of law enforcement and the lives they have saved.
