The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Officer recognized for life-saving efforts
Madison Township Police Officer Jeffery Butram was recognized by the Lake County Chiefs of Police Association this week for his life-saving efforts.
The patrolman who was nominated by his chief, Matthew Byers, was recognized and presented with the Lifesaving Award during the July 11 meeting of the LCCPA.
On April 28, Butram responded to a call of an unresponsive male at one of the gas pumps at the Madison Get-Go Station.
According to the officer, when he arrived on the scene there was a registered nurse present who was performing CPR.
“She was getting pretty exhausted because she had been doing it for probably a minute or longer,” Butram said. “I took over from there and continued with the chest compressions. The individual would breath as I was pushing on his chest so we put him in a rest position thinking he was go-
“I am so proud of him. He showed exactly what we look for and the actions that he took I think all of our officers would have done.” — Chief Matthew Byers
ing to continue breathing, but he did not.”
According to the officer, at that point they rolled him back over and continued chest compressions until the Madison Fire Department arrived and transported him to the hospital.
Butram later found out that the man did survive and was responsive and communicating with hospital staff about 15 minutes after he was at the emergency room.
Butram feels that receiv ing the L ifesav ing Award is an honor and that it feels good to be recognized for the things that the officers do on patrol.
“Sometimes we don’t get the recognition for the all the tasks that we do, but when you do get presented with an award like this it is a great honor,” Butram said.
Byers said that when he heard about what Butram had done he was very proud of him and thought that his actions exemplify what they look for in their officers.
T he chief also noted that it turns out the man Butram had saved was actually the chief’s former high school football coach and his friend.
“I am so proud of him. He showed exactly what we look for and the actions that he took I think all of our officers would have done,” Byers said. “That’s why I nominated him for the Police Chiefs A ssociat ion awa rd . It didn’t take much forethought to realize he fit the criteria for the award and think he should be nominated for it and I’m glad the nomination committee agreed.”