PEA RIDGE -- A police officer may not typically get into law enforcement to respond to medical calls, but their presence on several such calls in Pea Ridge have saved lives.
Police Chief Lynn Hahn recognized five police officers at the June City Council meeting and presented them with lifesaving awards.
"Oftentimes I'm asked why do people become police officers," Hahn said. "Over the last few years, it's been hard to answer.
"It does take a special kind of person to be an officer because they're kind of a Type A, adventurous personality. But they really do want to make a difference in their community. That's the kind of people we look for in Pea Ridge -- people with the heart to help people."
The chief mentioned how recruitment videos don't show everything an officer will be expected to do.
"Those videos show all the cool stuff -- they've got helicopters, foot chases and car chases and SWAT teams kicking in doors," he said. "But they don't show the stuff you really don't want to do like fighting a drunk on the road, chasing a poodle through Standing Oaks."
Likewise, medical calls are often left out of those video, Hahn said.
"One thing they don't really show are the medical calls with blood on their hands. ... That's not typically why an officer gets into police business. If that's their interest, they would work with our heroes in the Fire Department.
"But we do go to these calls, and there's a couple of reasons why. The first reason is that whole business about making a meaningful impact. When there's one the officers think they can make a difference ... sometimes being there a minute or two before the Fire Department can save someone's life or make a huge difference."
He said the police receive many more calls than might be imagined, including those regarding suicidal people. A recent call involved forcing entry into a house, finding an unconscious person and performing CPR until ambulance personnel arrived.
"It's hard to quantify in police work how many lives are saved," Hahn said, citing a recent arrest of a drunk driver that may well have saved the life of the driver or others if he had continued to drive impaired. "He got a drunk driver off the street. He may have saved a life there."
Lifesaving awards were presented to five officers -- Sgt. Todd Cornwall and Officer Jamie Holland, who saved a life on March 2, and Lt. Rich Fordham, Sgt. Justin Lawson and Officer Andrew Day, who saved a life on April 22.
On March 2, Cornwall and Holland responded to an overdose call.
"If there's any danger to the firemen, we go first because we want to keep them safe because if the medics get hurt, who's going to help the medics?" Hahn said.
He said overdoses are that way because a lot of times, there are illicit drugs, probably weapons and other problems.
Hahn said the person was already not breathing and turning blue. Police were on the scene within less than three minutes of the call being issued and administered Narcan.
"The first dose did not bring him to so a second dose was administered," he said.
The medics took over and transported the person to the hospital.
"What some people don't realize about Narcan is that it wears off. The medics were able to convince the man to get some help," Hahn said.
"A 38-year-old is alive because of their actions that night."
The second incident was April 22 when police responded to a residence slightly outside the city limits for an incident involving a young woman attempting to try to commit suicide, Hahn said. The caller said the woman was combative.
Hahn said the officers were on the scene within three minutes and found the young woman unconscious, turning blue and not responding.
After officers administers two doses of Narcan and performed CPR, the woman began breathing and was turned over to the medics. Hahn said a syringe of heroin was found beneath her.
Hahn said he appreciates the members of the community who made the Narcan available to the Police Department.
"All of the officers are CPR-certified and continue to get more training," Hahn said. "A 30-year-old female is alive today because of them."