Des Plaines recognizes two cops with life saving awards

The Des Plaines City Council Monday night recognized an Evanston police officer and a city cop for their quick thinking, which saved the lives of two residents.

Evanston police officer Sean O’Brien and Des Plaines police officer Steven Dickson were presented with Life Saving Awards.

O’Brien had saved the life of a young boy who jumped into the Des Plaines River on March 5 while off duty. O’Brien was sitting in his car in traffic, when he saw the boy near the intersection of Miner Street and River Road unaccompanied by an adult. The boy walked down Schwab Road toward the river and O’Brien followed him. The boy threw a snowball into the river and jump in after it, and was completely submerged, officials said. O’Brien jumped in after the boy, found and brought him to safety, officials said.

On March 11, Dickson responded to a 911 call in the 1100 block of Oakton Street where a 55-year-old woman was found unresponsive in her home. Dickson could not detect a pulse on the woman and requested paramedics, and immediately began administering CPR. Paramedics arrived on the scene and took over treatment, officials said. The woman regained a pulse and faint heartbeat, and was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where she survived, officials said.