Four Police Officers Receive Lifesaving Awards in 2007

Four Neenah Police Officers received lifesaving awards for their efforts on three events. In all three cases, officers were able to prevent a despondent person from jumping from a tall structure and providing the care each of them needed. 

	On June 20th, Officer Dennis Gitter pulled a despondent woman who was threatening to jump from a 5-story structure. Officer Gitter had developed a rapport with the woman, getting close enough to grab her before she jumped off the edge.  Four days later, Officer Larry Rodencal and Officer Eric Holdorf teamed up to save the same woman from jumping off the same structure. Officer Rodencal started to converse with the woman allowing Officer Holdorf to sneak up behind her and pull her to safety.
	On December 5th, Officer Nick McDonald and other Neenah Police Officers were dispatched to a report of a man walking in the roadway on a Highway 41 overpass. The first caller, an off-duty 911 dispatcher, was concerned that a car may hit him. As officers responded, they learned the man was sitting on the edge of the overpass above heavy rush-hour traffic. Officer McDonald was the first to make contact with the male and developed a rapport allowing him to get close. When the man looked down at traffic, Officer McDonald pulled him to safety preventing the fall and perhaps preventing a major traffic accident on Highway 41.

In Neenah City Council ceremonies, Chief Ray Appel heralded the efforts of these four officers citing their tactics, compassion, and courage. "Their actions speak to the quality of officers we continue to try to recruit." Chief Appel says. "They all demonstrated selflessness and bravery above and beyond the call of duty."