BOSTON – Two Boston Public Schools (BPS) school police officers were honored by the Boston School Committee and Superintendent Dr. Carol R. Johnson at the Committee’s September 26 meeting. Officer Gabriel Rosa of Dorchester and Sergeant Kenneth Jackson of Roxbury were presented with citations for “outstanding performance in the line of duty” for saving the life of a student who was choking earlier this month.
On September 17, during lunch in the cafeteria at the South Boston Education Complex, a student notified the officers that another student, a 12th grader named John, was choking. John was turning pale and losing consciousness. Sergeant Jackson cleared the area, while Officer Rosa performed the Heimlich maneuver, which dislodged the object and allowed the student to breathe normally again. The school nurse then arrived and provided further medical attention.
“The Committee is pleased to recognize these two officers tonight,” said School Committee Chair Dr. Elizabeth Reilinger. “We commend them on their quick thinking and quick action in this situation.”
“Too often, our School Police officers do not get the credit they deserve for activities they carry out in the line of duty,” added Dr. Johnson. “In this instance, they were able to save a student’s life.”
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Boston Public Schools’ Oct. 2 press release
The Boston Public Schools serves nearly 57,000 pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students in 144 schools, and recently won the Broad Prize for Urban Education as the top city school district in the country. For more information, visit www.bostonpublicschools.org.
