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Early-morning lake rescue honored with Officers of the Month award
A capsized boat located off the east wall of the Navy Pier in the wee hours of June 14 required a quick response from six Chi- cago Police Officers to avoid a deadly disaster.
Upon arrival, the officers determined that six passengers were on board when the boat was in distress. A Department marine unit then collaborated with the U.S. Coast Guard to guide the passengers to nearby rocks, where they could climb onto land.
The response not only resulted in six people being rescued but also earned the members recognition as the Chicago Po- lice Memorial Foundation August Officers of the Month. The group included Marine Unit Officers Christoph Pinzine, Ara- mon Thomas, Michael Bulluomini, Timothy Loughney, Gregory Payne and Sergeant Antonio Valentin.
Information gathered at the scene revealed that the 32-foot boat lost power. After several failed attempts to restart the en- gine, the captain called for help on his cellphone and arranged for a nearby boat to pick him up. When the boat arrived, he boarded and left the passengers to get help.
After 45 minutes of being stranded, the powerless boat slammed into a bed of rocks and almost capsized. The officers subsequently observed that the passengers were stranded on the wall in high seas.
The officers made the quick decision to go to the outer wall, and with the collaboration of the Coast Guard, guided the vic- tims along the wall so they could be rescued from the rocks.
From left, Chicago Police Officers Aramon Thomas and Gregory Payne represent the group of six members who earned the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation Officers of the Month award. Commander Sean Loughran presented the award.
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