(Riverton, WY) Life-saving measures performed by eight Riverton police officers were recognized and awarded by Interim Police Chief Wes Romero at the Riverton City Council Meeting on Tuesday evening.
Chief Romero recognized Officers Randy Foos, David Milovich, Casey Tadwald, and Joseph Zimmerman where on September 13, 2018, the officers responded to a call for a woman that was not breathing and was cold to the touch. The officers found the woman to be warm and immediately began CPR, each taking turns for 11 minutes until the ambulance arrived. At that time, the female had a strong pulse and was transported to the hospital. “Hospital staff later advised that the female would make a full recovery, thanks to the officers’ lifesaving efforts,” Romero said.
Officers Steven Sullivan, Wesley Barry and Brandon Brookover were next to receive their awards. On May 24, 2019, the officers responded to a call in regards to an individual trapped in a canal. Upon arrival, they observed a male to be trapped in cold water and a swift current. The male was unable to follow the officers’ commands due to his state of shock. Brookover was able to secure a grip on the male victim’s hand, but the male fearing for his life and overwhelmed by the temperature of the water, refused to let go of the canal safety gate. Barry gripped Brookover’s belt to keep him secure, adding momentum to pull the male. Sullivan grabbed Brookover’s free arm, and the three of them combined their efforts to pull the man “out of the surely fatal situation,” Romero said. “The three went above and beyond, showing an overwhelming amount of bravery, empathy, and strength.”
Officer Jonathan “Jack” Johnson responded to a medical assist call on November 21, 2022, where an individual was reported to be in cardiac arrest. Johnson arrived and found an unconscious and unresponsive male. He correctly ascertained that the individual was suffering from an opioid overdose, and quickly and appropriately administered Narcan. The individual became responsive and returned to health. “Officer Johnson’s quick thinking and execution of his trained skills saved the life of the young male,” Romero said.
“It might not be something we talk about a lot, or that there’s a lot of recognition for,” said Mayor Tim Hancock, after the presentation of the awards. “Some of these were overdue as the Chief rightly pointed out, but we have an incredible group of people that work for our police department, and I thank you for every day, spending hours out there doing what really amounts to, often, a thankless job.”
“Hopefully, some of the thanks from the community here tonight and going forward can make up for some of that,” the mayor continued.”You do a really good work, you’re appreciated, and you’re really just an important part of what makes Riverton great. So thank you very much for your many hours of work.”
Click here to watch the presentation of awards on the Riverton City Council website.