We applaud the Swampscott Select Board for saluting town police officers who performed ocean rescues that saved lives this past summer and in 2018.
They are hired to patrol town streets and neighborhoods and respond to emergencies. But officers Kevin and Brendan Reen and Michael Bowden, Detective Candace Doyle, Sgt. Jonathan Locke and Lt. William Waters jumped into action when they saw potential tragedies unfolding in sight of Swampscott’s shores.
Kevin Reen, according to his commendation, swam more than 700 feet into the ocean on June 23 to help a male and a female swimmer who were struggling to stay afloat. Once rescued, the pair required medical treatment at a hospital.
Doyle was off duty on an August 2018 day when she saw a child in a raft being carried from the shore by wind. As the girl cried out for help, Doyle dove into the ocean and swam out to the girl.
Waters, Locke and Bowden rescued a paddle boarder who ended up a half mile off shore. “She was clearly exhausted,” Police Chief Ron Madigan wrote in the commendation citing the trio for their life-saving work.
Last June 22 saw the aptly-named Waters, Locke and Officer Brendan Reen rescue kayakers being blown into a rocky area. “We were in the right place at the right time,” Locke said.
Those words probably understate the relief and gratitude felt by the people rescued by the officers. Living next to the ocean means an opportunity to enjoy its beauty. But it also means appreciating the dangers posed by open water, tides and wind.
The Departmental Life Saving Medals and Life Saving Commendations awarded by the Select Board recognize that the public safety responsibilities shouldered by town police officers and, by extension, firefighters, extend beyond the shoreline.
The six department members honored by the board took their responsibilities in stride. But the people they saved and a grateful town thank them for their vigilance and commitment to duty.
