Police officers and two civilians receive lifesaving awards for Mendota Bridge rescue

The Mendota Heights Police Department and two civilians were honored with lifesaving awards during the council meeting after an early-June rescue on the Mendota Bridge.

Captain Wagner (first name not stated) and department leadership summarized the incident and presented awards to Officers Emma Thompson, Eric Wegman, Ryan Yauch and Sergeant Phil McCarty, along with civilians Craig Phillips and Murad Elknady. Captain Wagner described the department showing body-worn camera footage to depict the response and said the department wanted to recognize the actions "beyond the walls of the PD."

According to the department synopsis, on June 2 officers were dispatched to a report of a woman climbing over the Mendota Bridge railing. Officer Wegman arrived first and reached the woman through the railing as she struggled. Officers Thompson, Yauch and Sergeant McCarty arrived and held the woman; two passersby, Craig Phillips and Murad Elknady, stopped to help, and one used a rope to secure the woman. Captain Wagner said officers on scene told him that without the civilians’ help and the rope the outcome could have been much different.

The department presented life-saving pins to the officers and awards to the civilians. The council paused the meeting to allow council members and attendees to view portions of body-worn camera footage showing the response.

A reception for award recipients and their families was announced after the presentations.