Manchester Detective's Child Rescue Honored By NJAG

MANCHESTER, NJ — Manchester Township Detective Richard Jupinka was named "NJ Officer of the Week" by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office for saving the life of a choking child in July.

"Our 'NJ Officer of the Week' is Detective Richard Jupinka, who was on duty when he noticed a young girl choking and unable to breathe. He performed the Heimlich maneuver and saved the child. Thank you Detective Jupinka for your heroic act!" the attorney general's office said on its Facebook page.

Jupinka was eating lunch at Café Napoli in the Manchester Plaza on July 14 when he saw the young girl choking, Manchester Capt. Vincent Manco said.

Jupinka realized the girl was unable to breathe and went to the table as her uncle tried to perform the Heimlich maneuver. When her uncle wasn't successful, Jupinka stepped in and performed the maneuver, quickly clearing the food obstruction from her airway.

Once the obstruction was cleared, the girl began breathing normally. The child's family declined the need for medical attention and thanked Jupinka for his lifesaving actions, Manco said.

"Thankfully, one of our officers was in the right place at the right time," Police Chief Robert Dolan said at the time. "Had he not been there, this incident could have ended much differently."

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