City honors two police officers for saving resident

City officials honored Police Officers Ryan Kraemer and Lukas Dikranis on Tuesday at City Hall for saving the life of a Long Beach resident.

According to Long Beach Police Department spokesman Sgt. Brett Curtis, Dikranis and Kraemer responded to a 911 call at 1:12 a.m. on Aug. 19 reporting a missing swimmer in the Maryland Avenue beach area.

When the officers arrived, the woman who made the call told the officers that her friend went into the water with the intention of committing suicide. Curtis said Officer Dikranis was able to spot the victim in the water — through heavy fog, no less — about 150 feet from the jetties.

Moments after the victim was spotted, Kraemer entered the water and swam toward the victim before pulling her to shore with Dikranis.

“The victim was transported to Nassau University Medical Center for a psychiatric evaluation,” Curtis said. He added that the victim did not suffer any serious injuries.

Curtis, along with City Council President Anissa Moore, Police Commissioner Michael Tangney, Acting City Manager Rob Agostisi and Long Island Crisis Center Director of Development Fran Karliner presented the officers with the citations.

“These officers engaged in an almost unimaginable act of not only bravery, but tenacity in jumping into the Atlantic Ocean to save another’s life, while risking theirs,” Agostisi said. “Let this act be a reminder of what police officers do and who they do it for.”

Dikranis and Kraemer both said that they were just doing their jobs as police officers.

“If you look around, look closely and open your eyes, you know that there are heroes right around us,” Moore said. “Every day people make a difference. So today it is with great honor that I have the opportunity to present these proclamations to two local heroes.”

Karliner also thanked the police officers for saving the woman. She urged that anyone who may have feelings of harming themselves or others to contact the Long Island Crisis Center’s hotline at (516) 679-1111. All calls are confidential and the hotlines are open 24 hours-a-day.

The city and the LICC also hold an annual Suicide Prevention Walk on the Long Beach Boardwalk. This year’s walk will be held on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 10:30 a.m. at Laurelton Boulevard. Visit longislandcrisiscenter.org for more information.