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Clayton honors two officers with life‑saving awards and issues several proclamations
Summary
The Clayton Town Council presented departmental life‑saving awards to two officers who rescued an autistic 11‑year‑old from a pond and issued proclamations for National Library Workers Day, National Lineman Appreciation Day, Arbor Day and Autism Awareness Month.
The Clayton Town Council recognized two Clayton police officers with departmental life‑saving awards and issued multiple proclamations for library workers, linemen, Arbor Day and autism awareness during its April 7 meeting.
Police Chief Greg Tarr introduced Corporal Brandon Pope and Traffic Officer David Barber and described a February rescue in which the two officers pulled an 11‑year‑old child from a pond. "Because of their actions, I believe they saved the life of this 11 year old," the chief said as he presented departmental life‑saving awards.
Chief Tarr said the dispatch came through Johnston County 9‑1‑1 reporting a domestic disturbance; a bystander later reported two people struggling in a pond. Corporal Pope entered the water without his ballistic vest to reach the children and became stuck in mud while trying to keep the 11‑year‑old above water. Officer Barber arrived quickly, entered the water and helped bring the child and others to shore. The chief told the council that other officers responded after hearing the call for assistance over department radios.
Council members then presented proclamations: Mayor Jody M. McLeod proclaimed April 2025 as National Library Workers Day in Clayton, April 18, 2025 as National Lineman Appreciation Day, April 7 (noted in the proclamation text) as Arbor Day, and April 2, 2025 as World Autism Day with April 2025 recognized as Autism Awareness Month. Council member Anderson tied the autism proclamation to the rescue account earlier in the meeting.
Several community groups and departments were named in the proclamations: the Clayton Public Art Advisory Board (in a separate earlier presentation about the Clayton Sculpture Trail), Hope Club Eleventh Memorial Library (library proclamation), Clayton Electric Department (linemen proclamation), Clayton Parks and Recreation (Arbor Day), and the Chi Xi Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta sorority (autism awareness proclamation).
The proclamations are ceremonial actions recognizing the contributions of library staff, linemen, parks staff and advocates for autism awareness; none were recorded as formal ordinance or budgetary actions in the meeting record.
