Somerville PD Beyond The Call Of Duty February Award Winner Named

SOMERVILLE, MA – Somerville Police Officer Brian Pavao was named the winner of the Beyond the Call of Duty Award Winner for February, the police department announced Wednesday. Pavao was hailed for his quick thinking and help getting a woman in the midst of an asthma attack to the hospital on Jan. 7.

According to police, Marybeth Pero's 9-year-old daughter, Jyanna, approached Pavao to ask him directions to Cambridge Hospital. Pavao, who was working a detail at the corner of Webster Avenue and Newton Street, saw that Jyanna's mom was gasping for air and having an asthma attack.

She was unable to communicate with Pavao or call 9-1-1, police said. Pavao drove Pero and Jyanna to the hospital in his police cruiser, where the doctors told Pero they would have to begin treatment right away due to her severely low oxygen level and high blood pressure.

Pavao stayed with Jyanna as the ER staff worked on Pero's treatment.

According to a Somerville Police Department statement, Pero said Jyanna had at first been nervous to approach Pavao but now has a different view of police officers after he helped save her mother's life.

Image via Somerville Police Department