2015 Sprout and Carey Awards

Officers were dispatched to a suicidal male on July 7 stating he was going to jump off a bridge into the Red River. He immediately ended the call and officers began searching various bridges for the male. RRRDC received information that he was hanging from the Veteran's Memorial Bridge. Officer Aaron Sprout was first on scene and observed the male floating down the river. The male appeared exhausted and was bobbing below the surface. Lieutenant Chris Carey arrived and entered the river downstream, yelling for the male to swim to him. He was able to get ahold of the male, but due to his size and the river current, he was being pulled further into the river at about 3 feet of water. Officer Sprout then pulled Lieutenant Carey toward the riverbank where the two were able to rescue the male from the water.

Lieutenant Carey was awarded the Medal of Valor for having put himself at substantial risk entering the river to rescue the male and nearly getting pulled in by the river current during the rescue. Officer Sprout was awarded the Lifesaving Award for his role in assisting Lieutenant Carey and the subject to shore.