Iowa Officers Rescue 2 Rafters from Rough Water
Osward said when he arrived at the dam, a couple, ages 44 and 49, were in the water and wearing life jackets but “both individuals’ heads kept getting sucked under the water.” The woman’s vest was also not properly applied, he said.

Police officers in Iowa are being lauded after body-camera footage captured their tremendous grit and strength as they worked to rescue two individuals trapped in churning, powerful dam waters.
Police were called to the Scott Street Bridge in Des Moines on Monday at around 9:30 a.m. after reports of people yelling for help.
“They arrived to find that an inflatable raft had capsized in the river, and two people were trapped in the turbulent waters of the dam, at times being pulled below the surface of the water,” the department’s post said. “Officers, assisted by an anonymous good Samaritan, quickly entered the river and began rescue efforts.”
In a police incident report filed on Monday, Officer Brian T. Oswald said he was the first on the scene.
Osward said when he arrived at the dam, a couple, ages 44 and 49, were in the water and wearing life jackets but “both individuals’ heads kept getting sucked under the water.” The woman’s vest was also not properly applied, he said.
With the woman repeatedly getting stuck in the undertow of the dam, Oswald said he decided to rescue her first. Body-camera video showed him holding onto the rope with the woman desperately trying to hold onto the other end.
As he pulled her over the edge of the dam, another officer held onto his duty belt to prevent him from falling over, he said.
As the woman was pulled to safety and checked by first responders, Oswald said another set of officers turned their attention to the man and rescued him, WTNH reports.
More Patrol

NLEOMF Honors September 2026 Officers of the Month
Four Bradenton Police Department officers were selected as the NLEOMF Officers of the Month for September 2026 for a nighttime water rescue.
Read More →
Blackhawk Debuts Mini EDC Pocket Multi-Tool
The Blackhawk Mini EDC Pocket Multi-Tool stows easily in pants pockets thanks to a sturdy stainless steel pocket clip and incorporates several essential/emergency tools into a single, high-mobility unit.
Read More →
Team Wendy Introduces the EXFIL Endurance Ballistic Helmet, Engineered to Reduce the Burden of Extended Wear
Team Wendy has launched its EXFIL Endurance, a new lightweight ballistic helmet engineered to deliver protection, comfort, and fit during demanding, extended operations.
Read More →
The First Responders Children’s Foundation National First Responders Day Roll Call of Heroes Ceremony Returns to Times Square, NYC
First Responders Children’s Foundation (FRCF), in collaboration with T-Mobile, will host the Roll Call of Heroes ceremony in Times Square to commemorate National First Responders Day on Wednesday, Oct. 28. During the event, FRCF will present 18 Hero Awards.
Read More →
Streamlight to Showcase Newest Lighting Products for Law Enforcement Professionals at IACP 2026
Streamlight will showcase its newest lights for law enforcement at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference & Expo. Featured lights will include the TLR-3 X, the PolyTac 1X, and more.
Read More →
Streamlight Portable Scene Light III Wins 2026 OH&S New Product of the Year Award
Streamlight’s Portable Scene Light III has won the 2026 Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) New Product of the Year Award in the Lighting category.
Read More →
Adept Armor Introduces Two New Rifle Plates
Adept Armor has launched two new Level IV ballistic plates, the Emperor and the Archon Mark 2, which brings Adept Armor’s new Quatroid ceramic to the high-threat, performance-value center of the range at 5.2 pounds.
Read More →
POLICE Product Test: Benchmade Bailout
The Benchmade Bailout is a slim, lightweight carry knife with a deep-ride pocket clip and comes in a variety of blade steels and scales. Here is a detailed review of the Taiga Green Bailout, released earlier this year.
Read More →
NLEOMF Announces July 2026 Officer of the Month
NLEOMF honored a Michigan deputy sheriff as the July 2026 Officer of the Month for rescuing a trapped driver from a burning vehicle following a Fourth of July crash.
Read More →
Streamlight to Showcase Newest Lighting Products at National Safety Council’s Safety Congress & Expo 2026
Streamlight will showcase its latest lights, including the Portable Scene Light III and the LiteBox 1Million, at the 2026 National Safety Council (NSC) Safety Congress & Expo.
Read More →