The Police Department seeks to recognize Officer Joseph Hoffman as the Officer of the Quarter (Second).  

One of the citizens advised that a child (Later identified as a 12 year old boy) appeared to have been pulled offshore by rip currents and was drowning. Officer Hoffman observed the child approximately 150 yards offshore flailing his arms and going above and under the water struggling to stay afloat. A Good Samaritan citizen had already entered the water and was attempting to swim toward him, but rough surf was impeding his progress.

Officer Hoffman then removed all of his duty gear, grabbed a rescue buoy from his beach vehicle and entered the water. While swimming toward him, Officer Hoffman observed the citizen who had entered the water reach the drowning child. When the citizen made contact, the child climbed on top of the citizen in a panic and pushed him under the water in an attempt to keep himself afloat.

The citizen was eventually able to free himself from the grasp of the child and came to the surface. Officer Hoffman instructed the citizen to get away from the child or he was going to drown as well. He complied and Officer Hoffman was able to make contact with the child and provided him the rescue buoy.

Officer Hoffman then swam the child to shore. He appeared to have aspirated water, was coughing and having difficulty breathing. Captain Eddie Green from Riviera Beach Ocean Rescue was notified by a beach employee of the Ritz Carlton Residences of the situation and responded to the scene and transported Butler to the Municipal Beach entrance where medics were staging. The child was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital by Riviera Beach Fire Rescue in stable condition.

Officer Hoffman’s heroic acts not only saved the child’s life, but possibly saved the life of a citizen who had attempted a water rescue. In what could have been a tragedy turned out to be an event that had the best outcome possible. His acts warrant consideration as the Police Department’s Officer of the Quarter (Second) Award.