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Life Saving Incident

July 22, 2009
California
Los Angeles
Los Angeles

Officer Christopher Gonzalez, and his partner, Officer Victor Martinez, were on patrol when they responded to the 1600 block of Ricardo Street in the Boyle Heights area for a call involving an open 911 line with screaming heard in the background. Officers Gonzalez and Martinez arrived on scene six minutes after receiving the call. What they found when they arrived were several people screaming and frantic over a 65 year-old family member who had lost consciousness and was not breathing, lying on the couch inside the residence. Gonzalez and Martinez immediately took control of the situation. They began by clearing the living room floor so that they could lie the victim down on a solid, flat surface to begin Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Officer Martinez began chest compressions while instructing and assisting a family member in performing rescue breathing on the victim. Officer Gonzalez also assisted in the CPR process. After administering CPR for approximately three minutes the victim regained consciousness and began breathing on his own. Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD) Personnel arrived and continued to treat the victim for an apparent heart attack. He was transported to Los Angeles County-University of Southern California-Medical Center (LAC-USCMC) where he was admitted and listed in stable but critical condition. LAFD Personnel, as well as the Doctors in attendance at LAC-USCMC, commended Officers Gonzalez and Martinez for their life saving efforts and agreed that the victim would not have survived had they not acted in such a quick and competent manner. Martinez and Gonzalez exemplify the highest standards of the Los Angeles Police Department. Hollenbeck Area Patrol Captain Paul Hernandez said, "These Officers are Heroes. Just ask the family members of this man who was revived from the brink of death and given another chance at life."

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.