Two Ellijay police officers were commended for their lifesaving efforts in the line of duty during an Ellijay City Council meeting at City Hall Monday, March 21.
At the meeting, patrolmen Trevor McClure and Austin McArthur received Lifesaving Medals from Police Chief Ed Lacey. Per a City of Ellijay proclamation, the Lifesaving Medal is “the highest award that can be bestowed upon an individual either affiliated or not affiliated with the agency who performs a lifesaving act under extraordinary circumstances.”
McClure, an Ellijay patrol officer since 2014, was dispatched to a medical emergency call last June, Lacey said. Before arriving at the residence, McClure had enough information to know he was probably responding to an opioid abuse incident.
“He started preparing himself and another officer for his suspicion of a drug overdose. He had previously been trained to use, and provided with, Narcan,” said Lacey.
After arriving on scene, McClure administered a dose of Narcan (a nasal spray containing naloxone that’s used to revive overdose victims) to a woman who’d stopped breathing, Lacey said.
“(He) assessed the patient’s pulse and respiration and found her pulse faint and weak and breathing extremely low,” he added.
After the Narcan was given, paramedics arrived and the patient opened her eyes and began talking.
Austin McArthur, a patrol officer since 2018, received both a Lifesaving Medal and a Service Award at the council meeting.
The Service Award is given to an individual affiliated with the police department who suffers a wound or serious injury in the line of duty. The injury can’t be self-inflicted and must require a period of recuperation, which includes loss of time from duty.
In December 2020. McArthur responded to a call at a convenience store on Highway 52 where a man with multiple warrants had called 911 saying he had a gun and responding officers had “better come ready,” Lacey said.
Fearing those in the store could be harmed, McArthur followed the man inside and continued to give verbal instructions, which were ignored. A struggle ensued in which McArthur suffered a broken ankle, Lacey noted.
After having reconstructive surgery, he returned to light duty as soon as possible and was able to return to full duty last year.
McArthur’s quick response and effective use of CPR in November 2021 earned him the Lifesaving Award.
McArthur gave CPR to a man who’d experienced a cardiac event in the parking lot of the East Ellijay Walmart, Lacey said. Although off duty at the time, the officer recognized something was wrong when seeing the man on the ground and the man’s girlfriend trying to perform CPR.
McArthur took over performing CPR after identifying himself as a police officer to those in the man’s company, Lacey noted. The man was airlifted to Kennestone Hospital and, after receiving extensive medical treatment, is alive today, he said.
Mayor Al Hoyle thanked McClure and McArthur on behalf of the city council for what all they and other first responders do each day.
Lacey said the Ellijay Police Department presented other awards at its annual banquet in January. However, supply issues prevented the medals given at the council meeting from being available then. Awards for 2019, 2020 and 2021 were given at the recent banquet because the last two years’ ceremonies were postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“We are just now getting back on track by making recognitions for the past three years,” Lacey said.
Among those awards, officer Mike Ware received a Police Commendation Award — given for exemplary performance in a single noteworthy act of service — for assisting McClure in that June 2021 drug overdose call.
Other Ellijay Police awards for 2021 included: Officer of the Year - Ryan Lowery; Crime Prevention Award - Jacob Chastain, Special Agent Renea Green (GBI), Capt. Ray Grace and Tom Horton (civilian); Advanced Certification - Brad Hill; and Intermediate Certification - Brandon Heath and Brad Hill.