Cops lauded for saving 3-year-old

St. Martinville — “There are angels among us,” City Councilman Mike Fuselier said, commending SMPD’s Sgt. James Papillion and Officer Gerald Savoy for their roles in saving the life of a child who apparently suffered a seizure on Jan. 9.

At last week’s City Council meeting, Fuselier said the two officers’ prompt and appropriate action was credited for saving the life of 3-year-old Rylee Borel, who was found incoherent and unresponsive by family members.

In a letter to the Teche News last week, the child’s mother, Amy Borel, expressed gratitude to the two policemen along with the 911 dispatcher and Acadian Ambulance crew.

“These people worked together beautifully,” Borel wrote. “They are often taken for granted and not told often enough how truly appreciated they really are.”

“Things like that change the attitude of people toward the police department,” said Mayor Thomas Nelson.

He extended the kudos to Chief Paula Smith, Assistant Chief Nary Smith, and Detective Todd D’Albor for their leadership in improving the department.

Improving SMPD was a campaign promise by Nelson and various city councilmen, and one of the first acts of the new city administration was to raise police salaries.