Andover Officer Honored for Saving Life

The Board of Selectmen last week recognized one Andover Police officer for outstanding service in the line of duty. Along with Police Chief Brian Pattullo, the board honored officer Glen Ota for his actions during a medical emergency this past September with the presentation of a Life Saving Citation.

On Sept. 28, 2010, Andover emergency dispatch received a call for an unresponsive male lying on the floor and not breathing at the Bodycote Company plant on River Street. Having recently begun traffic enforcement outside the plant, Ota heard the call on his radio and responded quickly.

Using a defibrillator, Ota was able to restore the man’s heartbeat.

“We understand that police work is often routine,” said Pattullo. “However, when duty calls, the exhaustive training that our officers go through automatically kicks in.”

After starting his heartbeat, EMS personnel then arrived and transported the man to a hospital, where he was able to recover. The chief said that, without Ota present, it is not clear whether the man would have lived.

“He absolutely saved this gentlemen’s life,” said Pattullo.

Ota, at last week’s meeting with his wife, came up and took his citation as well as shook hands with the board and the chief.