Three Harbor Police Officers Presented with Life Saving Commendations

Thursday, 13 November 2008
Contact: Marguerite Elicone (619) 686-6222, Kate Meyerowitz (619) 686-6222

Three San Diego Harbor Police officers were awarded life saving commendations at the November 4 Board of Port Commissioners meeting.  Officers Pedro Arce, Eric Mitchell and Raul Munoz were applauded for their actions which ultimately helped save a life.  This marks the seventh time in two years that Harbor Police officers have been honored for saving lives.

On the evening of August 30, 2008, Officers Arce and Mitchell responded to a radio call about an unconscious man in San Diego Bay.  When the officers arrived, they found a Good Samaritan in the water, attempting to keep the unconscious man afloat. 

Officers Arce and Mitchell pulled the man from the water and performed Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on him because he had no pulse and wasn't breathing.  Officer Munoz arrived and assisted with the CPR until San Diego Fire Department paramedics could take over the patient's care. 

"The performance of Officers Arce, Mitchell and Munoz was immediate, calm and proficient, which resulted in saving the life of a citizen," said Kirk M. Sanfilippo, Chief of Harbor Police. 

The three officers received life saving commendation certificates and life saving uniform "shirt bars" to wear on their uniforms.  This was the second person that Officer Arce had saved during his two-year tenure as a Harbor Police Officer.  His shirt bar pin features two crosses that represent the two lives saved.

The San Diego Harbor Police is the law enforcement arm of the Port of San Diego.  The department provides law enforcement, marine fire-fighting services, airport services, public safety and Homeland Security throughout the tidelands and San Diego Bay.  Harbor Police Officers patrol San Diego International Airport under contract with the San Diego county Regional Airport Authority.

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