Five UA ��Ƶlogo police officers honored for saving man’s life

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 17:54:10 +0000

The University of Arkansas at ��Ƶlogo honored five police officers during a Feb. 2 ceremony for their part in saving the life of a man found unresponsive in his vehicle. “I am proud to say I belong to the UA ��Ƶlogo Police Department,” Police Chief Regina Wade-Carter said. “We have a great group of police officers.” On Jan. 2, Cpl. Gary McGee and Officer John Claunch responded to a call that a man was found slumped over in his vehicle in East Hall Loop, just off Fair Park Boulevard. “The man was unresponsive, and the vehicle was still in drive,” Claunch said. “We put the car in park, got the man out, and immediately started CPR until MEMS (Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services) arrived approximately 20 minutes later. I saw the man turn three different colors over the course of CPR. To hear that he survived was great.” While Claunch was happy to do his role in saving the man’s life, he called his partner, McGee, the “real hero of the day” for performing CPR on the man for at least 15 minutes until Det. Tonya Carter took over. “I just wanted him to breathe,” McGee said. “Even though there was no pulse, I never looked at him as being dead. I needed to help him come back to the living.” McGee, who had been taken back to the UA ��Ƶlogo Department of Public Safety to rest after performing CPR, did not learn of the victim’s fate until he received a phone call from Assistant Chief John Smith. “I watched the young man come back to life. I heard one of the MEMS people say that, ‘Whoever worked on him, that is why this young man is still alive,'” Smith said. “I called McGee and said, ‘He is not dead. You saved his life. I am so proud of you.'” McGee recalls crying after receiving the happy news. “I was very happy,” McGee said. “I thanked God. I am glad that the man was okay, and I am grateful for my shift and the other people I work with. I’ve got a good team.” In addition to McGee and Claunch, Det. Tonya Carter, Sgt. Marilyn Thompson, and Officer Deshalay Hubbard also received commendations for helping save the man’s life. Thompson took command of the scene while Carter took over CPR for McGee, and Hubbard used a defibrillator on the man. “Most people probably would have given up, but today we recognize the men and women who go beyond the call of duty, who put themselves at risk to save another’s life,” Smith said. “We honor you because you give us hope.” In the upper right photo, UA ��Ƶlogo police officers receive a commendation during a Feb. 2 ceremony for their heroic efforts to save a man’s life during a Jan. 2 call. Back row (L to R) include Lt. Jerome Bailey, Officer John Claunch, Cpl. Gary McGee, Lt. Aaron Birmingham, Chief Regina Wade-Carter, and Assistant Chief Johnny Smith. Front row (L to R) include Det. Tonya Carter, Sgt. Marilyn Thompson, and Officer Deshalay Hubbard. Photo by Marisa Perry.

University District honors Marilyn Thompson as police officer of the year

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 13:25:42 +0000

The University of Arkansas at ��Ƶlogo University District honored a 22-year veteran of the UALR Police Department as its UALR Police Officer of the Year. Sgt. Marilyn Thompson received the award for her dedicated community-oriented policing on and around the campus. “Being a police officer is a rewarding job, and it is something that I love because I am a people person. I have not met a stranger at all. I can talk to you for five minutes and it’s like I’ve known you all my life,” Thompson said. Thompson graduated from UALR in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in psychology. She graduated from the ��Ƶlogo Police Academy in 1990. She began her career as a patrol officer with the ��Ƶlogo Police Department. In 1994, Thompson joined the UALR Police Department. Thompson has led community workshops on women in law enforcement and active shooter training. She has also been honored for her participation in the Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Prescription Drug Take Back program. The award ceremony was part of the district’s National Night Out celebration on Oct. 4, which honored the emergency responders who serve the neighborhoods that surround UALR. National Night Out is a community-building initiative that promotes safety through neighborhood camaraderie and police-community partnerships. The National Association of Town Watch, a nonprofit crime prevention organization, started the campaign.

The firefighters of ��Ƶlogo Fire Station No. 3, who were honored as the University District Firefighters of the Year. Photos by Larry Rhodes.

In addition to Thompson, University District officials honored:

��Ƶlogo Police Department Officer Shawn Bakr, who was named the University District Police Officer of the Year for his actions in stopping an armed robbery in January. Bakr was shot in the shoulder while responding to three individuals who tried to rob Red Lobster.
��Ƶlogo Police Department Officers Jarred Gitz, Christopher Henderson, and Irving Jackman III, who were honored for saving the life of a University District resident. On April 17, 2016, the officers gave life-saving first aid to a resident while responding to a call on West 23rd Street.
The firefighters of ��Ƶlogo Fire Station No. 3, who were honored as the University District Firefighters of the Year.
Paramedic Cody Hughes and Emergency Medical Technician Brad Barnett, who received the MEMS (Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services) Award and were named University District Paramedics of the Year for saving the life of a University District resident in cardiac arrest.

- University News Archive - UA ������Ƶlogo

Five UA ������Ƶlogo police officers honored for saving man’s life

University District honors Marilyn Thompson as police officer of the year

- University News Archive - UA ��Ƶlogo

Five UA ��Ƶlogo police officers honored for saving man’s life