TD Police Officer awarded for freeing pinned swimmer in cold Columbia River

By Rodger Nichols

The Dalles Police officer Kenyan Reams received the award of valor for freeing a swimmer’s foot that was pinned in a rock in the Columbia River near the boat dock near the Union Street underpass on June 14.

The Dalles Police Chief Tom Worthy bestowed the honor on Reams on Monday, July 11, at The Dalles City Council meeting.

"On June 14, 2022, at about 6:30 p.m., Officer Reams, with his field training officer, Perez responded to a report of a swimmer in distress in the Columbia River near the ferry dock,” Worthy told Councilors at the meeting. “The Columbia River was extremely high due to continual rains, and there were areas of flooding in the city. Water temperature was 56 degrees in the river.”

“Upon their arrival, Officers Reams and Perez located the swimmer, who was stuck in the river, her foot caught in the rocks on the bottom. The swimmer was nearing exhaustion from her continued exposure to the swift cold water.”

The Dalles Police Chief Tom Worthy hands an award of valor to officer Kenyan Reams. Reams had only been on the job several weeks before entering the cold water of the Columbia River to free a swimmer, whose foot had gotten pinned in the rocks near the Union Street Underpass.

“ Officers were joined by Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue personnel. The swimmer advised that she had been caught in the river for over 30 minutes and that she had made the call through her Apple Watch. The swimmer was showing signs of hypothermia. Her voice was raspy and broken and she was in obvious distress.”

“Fire personnel attempted to provide a ladder to the swimmer and to pry apart the rocks in which her foot was stuck from the shore. These attempts were unsuccessful, and the swimmer's condition continued to deteriorate.”

“Officer Reams assessed the scene and determined that the rescue of the swimmer needed to be immediate and he would be able to aid in the rescue only by entering the water to feel how the entrapment was occurring, and the water was too murky to allow any visual inspection from above.”

“Officer Reams left his ballistic vest and duty belt on the shore and carefully entered the water downstream of the swimmer. Officer Reams reached under the water and was just able to reach the swimmer's foot, and only Officer Reams' head was not submerged.”

Officer Reams freed the swimmer's stuck foot and brought her to shore where she received care from the firefighters.

“Officer Reams is receiving this award for valor, based on his meritorious actions taken on June 15, 2022,” Worthy told The Dalles City Council. “If it were not for the quick efforts of Officer Reams, this swimmer's suffering would have been prolonged, and the potential outcome much worse."