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WINDSOR – When law enforcement officers accept the oath of office, they swear to “protect and serve.”

In some cases, that oath goes far beyond those words.

At Monday’s (Jan. 8) meeting of the Bertie County Board of Commissioners, Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin publically recognized two members of the BCSO Patrol Division, Sgt. Rickie Dozier II and Deputy Braxton Manning, for recently going above the call of duty by attempting to save the lives of two different individuals.

“Our deputies need to be recognized for the jobs they do beyond what is considered normal patrol,” Ruffin said. “Along with that, we, the Sheriff’s Office, want to say thank-you to our county commissioners and to our citizens for giving us the tools necessary to effectively do our jobs.”

Ruffin noted that on Dec. 8, 2023, Dep. Manning, while on patrol in the area of Republican Road, responded to an EMS call regarding a 65-year-old male subject who was unresponsive and not breathing.

“Dep. Manning was the first emergency responder to arrive on scene,” Ruffin said. “He went inside the residence and immediately began CPR on the unresponsive male.”

Soon after, Bertie County EMS arrived on scene and continued life saving efforts. Ruffin said Deputy Manning and EMS members rendered life saving efforts for approximately an hour.

“During the life-saving measures, emergency personnel were able to gain a pulse on him at least four times,” Ruffin stated. “Unfortunately, those life-saving measures were unsuccessful in maintaining a viable cardiac rhythm. Even though the man was not able to be fully revived, I want to commend the efforts of Deputy Manning and also those of the other emergency personnel on the scene and our dispatchers. They play a big role in what we do.”

Ruffin presented Manning with a certificate for his “selfless and heroic acts on Dec. 8, 2023. Your courageous actions are an exemplary model for others to follow.”

The Sheriff also recognized Sgt. Dozier for responding to a possible drug overdose call in Lewiston on Nov. 30, 2023. “Sgt. Dozier was the first to arrive on scene, entering the residence to find a victim unresponsive and breathing about every 30 seconds,” Ruffin said. “After administering two rounds of NARCAN, Sgt. Dozier began to administer chest compressions to the victim and the subject regained consciousness.”

Ruffin presented Dozier with a certificate as well as a lifesaving commendation bar to be worn on his Class A uniform. The certificate, in part, recognized Sgt. Dozier for his “selfless and heroic acts on Nov. 30, 2023. Your personal efforts of performing medical aid played a part in saving a life.”

“I’m very proud of the men and women of the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office and the incredible selfless jobs they do both protecting and serving the citizens of this great county,” Sheriff Ruffin said. “I could not be more proud of how quickly these men sprang into such a heroic action by using the training and experience they have to aid their fellow man without hesitation. And I dare not leave out our EMS personnel and our dispatch personnel for their work.”