BEATRICE – A Beatrice Police officer has earned a department commendation for actions that helped save the life of a woman.
Officer Zach Smith was awarded the honor Monday night by Police Chief Bruce Lang, before Mayor Stan Wirth and the City Council.
Last June 7th, Smith responded to a call of an attempted burglary where an intoxicated woman had put her arm through a window, lacerating an artery near her wrist. Lang says the woman was bleeding badly and as viewed on the officer’s body camera, was hysterical.
Smith was credited with calming the woman and applying a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, until medical personnel could arrive.
Said Chief Lang, Smith "most likely saved this lady's life...without a doubt".
A commendations board recommended Smith be presented with a medal of valor for his actions.
Lang says both Smith and Officer Derrick Hosick, who were at the commendation ceremony Monday night, have recently started a citizens academy, which has had it’s first classes.