Chief Paul A. Nikas is pleased to announce that two Ipswich Police Officers were recently recognized for going above and beyond the call of duty after an Ipswich man was seriously injured in a boating incident this summer.
On Thursday, Nov. 5, Lt. Jonathan Hubbard and Officer Brian Murphy were awarded letters of commendation from Sen. Bruce Tarr on behalf of the Massachusetts State Senate and Rep. Brad Hill on behalf of the Massachusetts House of Representatives during a private, socially-distanced ceremony. The two were honored for their life saving efforts after responding to a serious boating crash on July 4.
The pair were on Harbor Patrol that day when they received a distress call for an out-of-control boat and people in the water in the area of the third creek mooring field. Four occupants in the boat had fallen off the vessel when it took a turn and the boat was circling around the area, unmanned. The operator of the boat, a 19-year-old Ipswich man, was run over by the boat and suffered serious, life-threatening injuries.
A nearby boater stopped to help and pulled the injured man from the water until Lt. Hubbard and Officer Murphy arrived, which was less than two minutes after the initial call came in. The victim was transferred to the Ipswich Police boat, where Officer Murphy began performing life saving treatments to the man while Lt. Hubbard brought the Ipswich Police boat to the Ipswich Bay Yacht Club for further aid. The patient was transferred to an ambulance before being flown by medical helicopter to to Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington. No one else was injured in the incident.
“Thank you to Sen. Tarr and Rep. Hill for recognizing the quick, heroic actions of these two officers, which helped the victim survive what could have been fatal injuries,” Chief Nikas said. “The two officers showed great professionalism and dedication for the safety of our residents, and I could not be prouder to recognize them for their exceptional work and to have them serve as members of the Ipswich Police Department.”
Lt. Hubbard and Officer Murphy were also given lifesaving medals by the Ipswich police Department and received letters of commendation from the Board of Selectmen at the Special Town Meeting in October.