Do You Think NYPD Officers Are CPR Certified? Think Again

Protect and Serve -- unless it requires CPR. That seems to be the new motto of the NYPD. Now a family is in mourning and an 11 year old girl dead after an officer, a public servant, told her mother "I don't do CPR."

Eleven year old Briana Ojeda was playing with her mother at a park when she had an asthma attack. Believing she could get her daughter to the hospital faster than EMS could get to her, Carmen Ojeda rushed through traffic, at one point turning the wrong way and hitting a parked car.

She flagged down the police, telling the officer "My daughter needs CPR!", to which he allegedly smirked and responded "I don't do CPR." After initially boxing the Ojedas in with his car, the officer finally decided to let them pass. But it would be too late. Briana, who had hopes of one day being a lawyer, would die.

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NYPD trainees are certified in CPR at the police academy. After that, however, their certification doesn't seem to be tracked. Some sources state the officers get recertified when their initial period lapses (after two years). Others report that there is no requirement for recertification and that cops are simply reminded when their expiration is coming up. This must change.

Officer Alonso Mendez of the 84th Precinct did not report the incident with Briana Ojeda to his superiors and has been suspended. He did follow Carmen to the hospital and tore up her citation when he learned of the girl's death. But could her death have been prevented if Mendez had elected to help -- if his CPR certification was good and his knowledge of procedures up to par?

As public servants the police are tasked with keeping our streets safe, a pretty major feat. But they are often called on in emergency medical situations to assist someone in medical distress. Sometimes the police arrive at a scene long before EMS does. In situations like these, shouldn't they be able to render assistance when someone's life may depend on it? A nine hour course offered by the New York Red Cross is required for flight attendants and lifeguards -- why isn't it required for the police?

CPR procedures often change slightly from year to year and unless you have the need to use it on a regular basis, they are easily forgotten.  Yearly recertification should be mandated and tracked by the NYPD. This is a simple solution with the potential to save lives. For those officers who say their reluctance is due to a lack of protective gear, all patrol units should be required to have mouthguards to allow CPR without the risk of infection or disease. Again, a simple solution with a potentially huge impact.

Join us at Change.org in urging the City of New York to make these necessary changes. Mandated annual certification and proper CPR gear comes at a little cost when compared with the value of a young child's life.

Photo Credit: Ojeda family  http://criminaljustice.change.org

Elizabeth Renter is a freelance writer who studied criminal justice at Bellevue University. She blogs for several defense attorneys.