Life Saving Incident
January 19, 2023
Florida
Lee County
Cape Coral
On Jan. 19, 2023 at approximately 11 a.m., the Cape Coral Police Department received a call of a man struggling to stay above water in a canal in the 500 block of Southwest 8th Place. Officer Bearman responded and found a man holding onto a boat, but struggling. According to a department release: “Officer Bearman saw the older man struggling in the canal and jumped in to rescue him.” “Officer Bearman pulled the older man and his boat to the canal bank, where Emergency Medical Service attended to the male. The male was treated on scene and was able to go home.”
The man told officers he went to the front of his boat to untangle a line and, when his foot got caught, he fell into the water.
“He said he tried to reach the canal bank but couldn’t. He stated he inflated his life vest and held onto the boat. He stated he still couldn’t get to the canal bank, was exhausted, and started yelling for help. He said a neighbor must have heard him and called 911. The male was very appreciative that Officer Bearman jumped in and rescued him,” the release stated. The department release went on to state, “Officer Bearman entered the canal without hesitation and represented our agency with honor, bravery, and professionalism.”
The history of law enforcement in the United States is a long and wonderful history of bravery. This website is dedicated to documenting the heroic deeds of law enforcement officers throughout the United States who have either given or risked their lives to save others. There are many stories of bravery and heroism for many who are considered first responders. However, it is those in law enforcement who are most likely to be the first to arrive upon a location requiring life saving acts engaging dangerous hostage takers, running into burning buildings/vehicles, providing first aid to seriously injured victims, saving near drowning victims and much more are what the women and men of law enforcement do routinely and at many times, great peril to their own safety.
It is our mission to document the history of lives saved by those dedicated women and men in law enforcement. To share with others the dramatic deeds of those individuals who are the first, first responders. It is so important for our citizens to understand that law "enforcement" is not always about enforcing the law but rather being there when our citizens need us.
It is to this end we are dedicated to promoting documentation regarding the history of law enforcement and the lives they have saved.
